Strait of Hormuz Shipping Falls to Five-Week Low Amid US-Iran Escalation

Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz fell to its lowest level in five weeks on Monday, July 13, according to Reuters-cited shipping data, as renewed US-Iran military exchanges heightened security concerns along one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes. Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to a five-week low on Monday, July 13, as escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran prompted shipping companies to reassess risks in one of the world’s busiest energy corridors. According to ship-tracking data from Kpler cited by Reuters, only six commercial vessels transited the strategic waterway during the day—the lowest daily volume recorded in five weeks. The decline follows several days of military exchanges between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns over the safety of commercial navigation in the Gulf. Among the vessels leaving the strait was the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Humanity, carrying about two million barrels of Iranian crude oil. Another tanker, Kaptan Andreas, departed with an estimated 500,000 barrels of refined petroleum products from Kuwait. Kpler’s data also showed that three empty oil tankers entered the Persian Gulf to load crude cargoes. Several vessels reportedly switched off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders while transiting the strait—a practice sometimes used in high-risk environments that reduces visibility for commercial ship-tracking systems. Reuters also reported that no liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers entered the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, suggesting that security concerns may be affecting not only oil shipments but also regional gas exports. Separately, an oil tanker operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) passed through the strait between July 11 and July 13 and is currently bound for Dahej, India, carrying crude oil. The decline in shipping activity coincided with another round of US military operations against Iran. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces struck military targets including missile launch sites, drone facilities, coastal radar systems and other infrastructure that Washington says has been used to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities reported strikes in several provinces, including Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Bushehr and Markazi, although officials have released few details about damage or casualties. US President Donald Trump said in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international navigation. Tehran, however, has maintained that it has tightened oversight of maritime traffic following what it describes as unauthorized vessel movements through the waterway. Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its naval forces disabled the navigation systems of two vessels and forced them to stop in the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil exports, making it one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime chokepoints. The post Strait of Hormuz Shipping Falls to Five-Week Low Amid US-Iran Escalation appeared first on Khaama Press.