Only 2 Commodity Ships Transited Strait of Hormuz, Lowest Daily Tally Since May

Just two commodity ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking the lowest daily total seen since early May.

The two ships were bound for the Gulf from the Gulf of Oman and comprised one Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) and one Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), according to early Tuesday ship tracking data provided by ship tracker Kpler.

This was well under the 10-day average of 14 ships and far lower than the seven ships of any type observed on Sunday.

Data could still be adjusted as some ships reportedly have shut off their navigational transponders in the strait.

In separate provisional data provided by ship-tracker Vortexa, about 5 million barrels per day of oil were transported through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The seven-day average was approximately between 6 and 7 million barrels per day as of Aug. 23.

Iran has increased regulations for ships in the waterway. The country reported that it had blacklisted 45 tankers as violators of its passage regulations and warned that it could take action against ships conducting ship-to-ship transfers with the tankers.

The Strait of Hormuz is an important corridor for global energy shipments. Prior to the dispute, about one fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas transportation occurred via the strait.

Iran Responds to Expanded US Sanctions

Iran also pledged that it would retaliate against U.S. sanctions against the country aiming to sever its economic lifelines. Iran expressed optimism that its main partners would reject pressure tactics from the United States.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued new sanctions on Monday and did not implement the toughest possible measures. He warned that nations continuing to do business with Iran could endanger their access to the dollar-based financial system.

Bab el-Mandeb Shipping Flow Matches Recent Average

The number of ships sailing through Bab el-Mandeb, an equally important chokepoint on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula, matched recent average levels.

There were 29 ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb on Monday, compared to 28 on Sunday, according to data from ship tracker Kpler. Monday’s figure matches the 10-day average roughly.

The figures can be adjusted as tracking data updates. Ships turning off their navigation transponders will not automatically appear in the daily tally of ships.

References: malaya, alarabiya