Strait of Hormuz shipping declines as US-Iran attacks intensify, threat of Houthi blockade disrupts shipping: Report | Today’s news
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed further earlier in the week as escalating military exchanges between the United States and Iran, along with new threats from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, prompted increased caution among ship operators, a report said.
Kpler shipping data showed only four cargo vessels passed through the strategic waterway on Monday, down from seven the previous day, Reuters reported.
Ship traffic is declining
The four vessels included two tankers leaving the strait and two entering.
Of the departing ships, one was carrying petrochemical products, while the other was sailing empty. The incoming vessels included a bitumen tanker and an oil tanker.
Notably, no large crude oil carrier (VLCC) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers were seen passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, highlighting growing security concerns in one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.
Houthi blockade raises concerns
Risks to shipping intensified after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced on Monday (20 July) that they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and threatened to attack vessels connected to Saudi ports.
The move raised fears of further disruption to global energy supplies by extending security risks beyond the Strait of Hormuz into the Red Sea.
Tanker struck in Hormuz
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Agency (UKMTO) said on Tuesday (July 21) it had received multiple reports that a tanker had reported being hit by an unknown projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The incident adds to growing concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the region.
More attacks on merchant vessels
Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers also said two of its vessels were hit by projectiles of unknown origin while sailing off the coast of Oman on Monday.
The company also said a third tanker was hit by a drone at Russia’s CPC Novorossiysk terminal in the Black Sea.
The latest incidents underscore the growing risks facing global shipping as the conflict between the US and Iran intensifies, threatening key maritime trade routes and global energy supplies.
