Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday fell below its 10-day average, with six commodity vessels recorded transiting the crucial waterway, a decrease from nine the previous day. Preliminary data indicated an average of approximately 12 vessels over the preceding ten days.
The figures, compiled by shiptracker Kpler and released at 0200 GMT on Wednesday, showed five vessels entering and one exiting the strait. Among these were one Panamax and one intermediate tanker. It is important to note that these numbers are preliminary and subject to change, as some vessels may deactivate their transponders during transit.
This reduction in traffic occurs amidst heightened geopolitical tensions in the region. On Tuesday, Houthi forces in Yemen, reportedly backed by Tehran, conducted strikes on several Saudi Arabian cities. Concurrently, American forces engaged multiple Iranian oil tankers, and Iran reportedly struck a U.S. base in Jordan, further intensifying the conflict and its impact on regional stability.
In parallel, traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, another significant maritime chokepoint in the Middle East, recorded 25 commodity vessels transiting on Tuesday, with 11 entering and 14 exiting. This is slightly below the recent 10-day average of around 27 ships. The vessels traversing the Bab el-Mandeb included two Suezmax tankers, eight Aframax tankers, and one Very Large Crude Carrier.
