Preliminary shipping data showed on Wednesday that the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz remained below 10, falling to four on Tuesday from seven the previous day. The figure was significantly below the 10-day average of 18 vessels.
اضافة اعلان
The decline in traffic through the strait, which handled around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the war in Iran, follows an escalation of attacks in the region.
The data showed that the total included two vessels leaving the strait and two entering it.
None of the vessels were very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or liquefied natural gas tankers.
Some vessels may transit the waterway with their identification and tracking transponders switched off and therefore may not be included in the figures.
An ultra-large gas carrier, the Saliut, left the strait carrying approximately 470,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) via the Iranian route. Meanwhile, the Panamax vessel Nautilus departed carrying around 510,000 barrels of naphtha via an unidentified and unmonitored route.
The two vessels entering the area were both carrying cargo. One was a short-haul “dirty” petroleum products tanker, typically used to transport crude oil or heavy fuel oil, while the other was a dry bulk carrier. Both entered via the Iranian route.
Meanwhile, 22 vessels were recorded transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, little changed from Tuesday’s figure of 24.
Source: Reuters
