Dubai: Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to single digit levels, showing that the vital waterway remains far from normal despite efforts to restore commercial navigation.
Preliminary ship tracking data showed that only seven vessels passed through the Strait on Thursday, September 10. That was down from 11 vessels the previous day and well below the 10 day average of 15 vessels.
The latest figure also highlights the continuing gap between the current situation and conditions before the Iran war began. The Strait previously handled about 125 large commercial vessels each day, including oil tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and container ships.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy routes. Before the Iran war began, the waterway carried about 20 percent of the world's daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
The latest figures do not mean that the Strait is completely closed. Ships are still passing through it, although in very small numbers. The tracking data also do not capture every vessel because some ships may cross with their Automatic Identification System transponders switched off.
This makes it difficult to establish the exact volume of goods and energy moving through the waterway.
Some important energy shipments have continued. A QatarEnergy linked LNG carrier, Al Marrouna, completed a voyage from Ras Laffan in Qatar to Pakistan on September 10. It was the first known LNG shipment aboard a QatarEnergy linked tanker since late July.
Two other QatarEnergy linked vessels, Al Ghashamiya and Al Daayen, were also seen inside the Strait this week while sailing without cargo.
The limited movement comes as maritime security remains a major concern. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported on September 10 that two vessels were involved in an incident about four nautical miles west of Khasab, Oman.
A vessel reported seeing four unknown projectiles hit two vessels, causing a fire on one. The status of the second vessel was unclear and authorities were investigating.
Another vessel incident was reported on September 9 about 28 nautical miles southeast of Al Faw in Iraq. A tanker reported being struck by an unknown projectile. The crew were reported safe.
The International Maritime Organization said there had been 75 confirmed maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region as of September 10. It also recorded 22 confirmed seafarer fatalities.
The IMO said more than 20,000 seafarers are affected by the continuing instability in the region. Some are stranded aboard vessels that cannot leave the Strait. The organisation has prepared an evacuation plan for about 6,000 seafarers, although the plan is currently paused.
Oil prices have also remained above $100 a barrel amid concern that disruptions to energy supplies could continue. Both major oil benchmarks recorded strong gains during the week.
Significant volumes of oil are still moving through the wider Gulf region, including shipments that are not visible through normal vessel tracking, but overall flows remain below prewar levels.
The vessel tracking figures do not include ships that may have crossed with their Automatic Identification System transponders switched off. Oil is also moving through alternative routes. As a result, the very low number of visible vessels does not mean that energy exports have stopped.
At the same time, the wider regional shipping situation is becoming more complicated.
In Yemen, the Iran backed Houthi movement seized the port city of Mocha on Thursday and advanced along the Red Sea coast. The development has raised further concerns about shipping through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, another important maritime route.
However, traffic through Bab el Mandeb remains much higher than through Hormuz. Twenty six commodity vessels passed through the strait on September 10, close to its 10 day average of about 27.
Diplomatic efforts to improve navigation through Hormuz are also continuing. Oman and Iran announced a proposal in August for a temporary navigation corridor, with possible measures including cooperation on mine clearance, traffic management and information sharing.
There is also growing international diplomatic interest. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun spoke by telephone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on September 11. Their discussion included the security situation and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The two ministers agreed to maintain communication.
The competing claims about the Strait remain difficult to reconcile. The United States says its military operations have helped restore navigation through the waterway. Iran has continued to assert its role in the security and control of the area.
The available shipping data point to a more complicated reality. The Strait is not completely closed, but it is also not operating normally.
For shipping companies, energy producers and seafarers, the key question is whether the limited movement seen in recent weeks can develop into stable and predictable commercial navigation. The latest figures suggest that recovery has not yet happened.