Global
Shipping data Monday showed 12 commercial vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz this week, a sharp decline from 35 ships last week. This reduction stems from persistent Gulf tensions and an unresolved US-Iran crisis. Visible maritime traffic through the strait, which historically carried a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies before the war, has fallen to limited levels. Middle Eastern producers, however, export oil via tankers disabling transponders, hindering traceability. Sunday saw four traceable vessels depart: two refined product tankers and two empty bulk/gas carriers. Two small oil tankers entered. Saturday saw five ships exit Gulf laden with farm goods, LPG, fertilizers; an empty giant gas tanker entered, per data. Before the American-Israeli war with Iran on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz saw about 125 large commercial ships daily, including oil/gas tankers, bulk, and container vessels.
