London: Commercial vessel traffic recorded through the Strait of Hormuz fell to just three vessels on Wednesday, according to preliminary shipping data, as continuing attacks and security concerns disrupted one of the world's most important energy routes.
The figure was sharply lower than the 12 vessels recorded on Tuesday and well below the 10 day average of about 17 vessels, according to data from shipping intelligence company Kpler.
The latest decline comes as the security situation around the waterway remains serious, with repeated attacks on commercial shipping raising concerns about the safety of vessels and their crews.
The three vessels recorded on Wednesday included an empty Supramax dry bulk vessel that entered the strait through the Iranian route. An empty petroleum product tanker entered through a dark route, while a Panamax tanker exited through another dark route.
The tracking data does not necessarily represent every vessel that crossed the strait. Some ships may have switched off their Automatic Identification System, or AIS, transponders. As a result, the actual number of vessels moving through the waterway could be higher than the number recorded by tracking systems.
The decline follows several days of falling traffic. Kpler data showed four commodity vessels crossing the strait on Tuesday, after seven crossings were recorded on Monday.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for global energy supplies. Large quantities of crude oil and liquefied natural gas from Gulf producers pass through the waterway on their way to international markets. A prolonged reduction in shipping could therefore affect energy supplies and international trade.
The International Maritime Organization said on Wednesday that it had verified 80 attacks on international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the current conflict began on February 28. At least 22 seafarers have been killed in the attacks, according to the organisation.
IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez called for an end to attacks on merchant ships and seafarers. The organisation has warned that the attacks are affecting shipping, global trade and supply chains.
Several vessels have been damaged in recent weeks. The IMO said the vessel EL GAIA was damaged in the Strait of Hormuz on September 12, with two seafarers missing. The ROMANCE was damaged near Khasab, Oman, on September 10, while the HERCULES STAR was damaged near Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates on September 9. One seafarer was killed in the HERCULES STAR incident.
Security concerns also extend to the Bab el Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Kpler recorded 21 commodity vessel crossings there on Wednesday, compared with 24 a day earlier.
The situation around Bab el Mandeb has become more closely linked to the wider regional conflict following increased fighting involving Houthi forces in Yemen. Houthi forces have launched drones and missiles at Saudi targets, while Saudi aircraft have carried out strikes in Yemen.
Damage to Saudi Arabia's East West oil pipeline has added to concerns about regional energy supplies. The pipeline provides a route for moving Saudi crude to the Red Sea, avoiding the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia is offering additional crude cargoes to Asian refiners through Oman as it seeks alternative ways to move oil to international buyers. The move has helped ease some concerns about immediate supply disruptions.
Oil prices fell on Thursday despite the continued decline in shipping through Hormuz. By 0632 GMT, Brent crude futures had fallen $1.88 to $103.95 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were down $1.77 at $100.66 a barrel.
The decline in oil prices reflects reduced immediate concerns about supply disruptions, although the security risks around the region remain.
The latest figures do not mean that the Strait of Hormuz has been formally closed. Instead, they show that tracked commercial traffic through the waterway has fallen sharply as shipping operators face increasing security risks.
The exact level of traffic remains difficult to determine because some vessels may not appear in tracking data if their AIS systems are switched off. The duration of the disruption and its longer term effect on energy supplies and international trade also remain uncertain.