Strait of Hormuz vessel traffic fell to four ships Sunday, down from eight, amid rising tensions and military strikes disrupting key oil trade routes.
Strait of Hormuz transits plunged to just four vessels on Sunday, half the prior day’s count, as US-Iran strikes entered a ninth night. The chokepoint, handling roughly 20% of global oil trade, saw no LNG tankers since Thursday and minimal product tankers or VLCCs loading since Friday, signaling early supply risks.
Typical daily transits average 30-40 vessels, with LNG and crude flows historically stable. Recent mutual naval blockade claims from both nations have heightened freight and insurance costs, sustaining a risk premium in oil markets.
Oil prices edged higher as reports emerged of missile launches from Kuwait toward Iranian targets and explosions near Iranian air defense sites, reinforcing escalatory tensions.