Cargo ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz reaches lowest level since May

An average of ten cargo ships per day transited the Strait of Hormuz in the last ten days, the lowest level since May, according to navigation data released this Monday (7), following attacks by the United States and Iran against oil tankers.

The ten-day moving average was ten on Sunday (6), below the more than 15 recorded on Friday (4) and almost 13 on Saturday (5), according to the analysis company Kpler.

Only two vessels crossed the strait on Saturday, while six crossed on Sunday, most via the Iranian route.

US forces attacked three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, US Central Command said. One of them was near Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub. The attacks occurred after actions by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against American warships in the region.

In retaliation, the Revolutionary Guard Navy said on Saturday it had attacked three oil tankers sailing through unauthorized routes in the strait, as well as three other American vessels in different areas.

The three Iranian tankers were Downy, Stark I and Kylo, ​​also known as Noxen, maritime intelligence firm Marisks said in a statement.

Saturday's attacks represented a "major escalation of the maritime conflict", Marisks said.

"Commercial tankers are now being deliberately used as instruments of reciprocal economic pressure, substantially weakening the previous distinction between military confrontation and commercial shipping," he added.

"Therefore, the risk is assessed as extreme for Iranian or Iranian-linked vessels and considerably high for US-linked or US-escorted vessels throughout the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman."

Since July 6, 27 incidents have been recorded involving projectile impacts that caused damage to vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in its weekly report.

On Sunday, a supertanker and three bulk carriers carrying metals, grains or oilseeds entered the strait, according to Kpler data.

An oil tanker carrying refined products loaded at a Saudi port attempted to leave the region but was forced to return, LSEG data showed. No supertankers have left the strait since Wednesday, according to Kpler data.