Only five ships, including an Iranian oil tanker, have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to data from maritime traffic tracking platforms cited by Reuters. For comparison, before the conflict began, the average daily flow reached about 140 vessels, BTA reports.
At the same time, this week Iran seized two container ships, and the US continues restrictions on Iranian ports, which further complicates the situation in the region.
According to experts from the shipping industry, normal traffic will not be restored without a stable ceasefire and guarantees of safety from both sides in the conflict.
Representatives of maritime organizations warn that alternative routes around Iran and Oman have limited capacity and cannot handle the standard volumes of trade through the strait.
Among the registered movements is the tanker “Niki“, flying under the Iranian flag and included in the US sanctions lists, which left the area without a clearly declared destination.
Meanwhile, international shipping companies report increased risk after a series of incidents, including the seizure of vessels near the strategic sea route.
According to analysts, even a partially open Strait of Hormuz does not guarantee safety for crews and cargo, while hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors remain stranded in the Persian Gulf amid ongoing instability.