Massive drop in vessel traffic through Strait of Hormuz – report

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged from an average of 138 vessels a day to just two in the 24 hours to Thursday, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said.

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The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations-governed (UKMTO) agency has assessed the regional maritime risk environment as “critical” for the next 48 hours, “with no confirmed indicators of de-escalation.”

“This represents a near-total temporary pause in routine commercial traffic,” JIMC said.

Yesterday, Iran’s military declared “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. Although analysts remain divided over whether the Strait of Hormuz can formally be considered closed, ship traffic through the waterway has been severely disrupted.

The threat environment around the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Gulf remains severe, with active kinetic hazards including missiles, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs), and stand-off drone strikes, according to JIMC.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. About 20% of global crude oil passes through the strait.

“All merchant vessels, regardless of flag or affiliation, should continue to operate under the assumption of sustained high-end threat exposure,” the JIMC has warned.

JIMC confirmed that the two vessels transiting the strait were cargo ships, not tankers. As many as 200 vessels are currently anchored off the Gulf coast, according to Reuters estimates.

“When ships are hit, ports disrupted, and naval encounters spread from Bandar Abbas [in Iran] to waters near Sri Lanka, the entire region begins to look less like a trade route and more like a combat zone,” SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes commented.

By Aparupa Mazumder

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