Strait of Hormuz maritime traffic hits lowest level since May

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to its lowest level since early May. On Monday, August 24, only two transport vessels were recorded crossing the strategic waterway, significantly below the ten-day moving average of 14 crossings.

This decline follows a period of heightened geopolitical tension and conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. Before the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, the strait typically saw between 130 and 140 vessels daily. Current traffic levels represent approximately 10% of pre-war volumes.

Data from Vortexa indicates that oil flow through the strait on Monday was approximately 5 million barrels per day, down from a seven-day moving average of 6 to 7 million barrels. The slowdown is attributed to increased risks, including US sanctions and Iranian restrictions. Tehran has threatened coercive measures against vessels deemed to be in violation of navigation norms, including those performing ship-to-ship transfers with blacklisted fleets. Some vessels are also reportedly disabling their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to avoid traceability in the high-risk zone.