Less than 20 cargo ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past weekend, according to data from maritime traffic tracking company Kpler, cited by Reuters.
On August 22, 13 ships passed through the strait, and on August 23 - just four. A day earlier, on August 21, their number was 16. The data is preliminary, as some of the vessels move with transponders turned off and are not counted by standard tracking systems.
Tankers make up the largest share of traffic through the strait - about 45%. Of these, 56% carry crude oil, petroleum products or chemicals, and 24% - liquefied petroleum gas.
For the week ending August 21, Kpler reported 89 ships leaving the Gulf of Hormuz and 103 entering. Traffic remains approximately 90% below pre-conflict levels.
The restricted shipping is a result of ongoing military and political tensions between the United States and Iran, as well as a series of attacks on ships in the area. The UK Maritime Trade Operations organization has recorded 23 incidents of shelling and damage to vessels since July 6.