Navigation traffic through the Strait of Hormuz recorded its lowest level in about 3 months, after only one ship designated for transporting primary goods crossed the strait on Monday, according to preliminary data tracking ship movement.
Data from the ship tracking company Kpler showed that one huge gas tanker entered the Strait of Hormuz coming from the Gulf of Oman, compared to six ships of different types that crossed the Strait on Sunday.
The data indicated that the numbers may change later, after some ships turned off their transmitters and receivers while crossing the strait, which may lead to them not appearing immediately in tracking systems.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most prominent sea lanes in the world, as it connects the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and a large part of the movement of energy exports from the Gulf countries to global markets passes through it.
The sharp decline in ship traffic comes at a time when the region is witnessing continuing unrest against the backdrop of the war between the United States and Iran, which has entered its sixth month, amid continuing concerns about the security of navigation and trade movement in the main sea lanes.
The decline in shipping traffic coincided with a new economic escalation, as the United States announced, on Monday, an expanded package of sanctions on Iran, while Tehran vowed to respond to the American measures, stressing its readiness to confront their repercussions.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent revealed measures targeting entities linked to the Iranian economy, warning countries and companies that continue to do business with Tehran of the possibility of being subjected to secondary sanctions or restrictions on access to the dollar-based financial system.
The US Treasury Department announced the imposition of new sanctions on 60 individuals, entities and ships, while the list did not include Chinese financial institutions, which Washington indicates are facilitating part of Iranian oil trade.
Besant had made it clear that Washington had not yet identified all the parties that might be targeted by the upcoming measures, nor did he fully reveal the date of their implementation, indicating that the concerned parties were given a period of time to comply with the American directives.
On the other hand, Iran had warned that any new American economic measures would face a response, with Iranian officials confirming that their country was ready to deal with the sanctions.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madani Zadeh said, following the American announcement, “We are fully prepared for the American sanctions.”
The decline in navigation traffic in the Strait of Hormuz comes at a time when shipping and energy companies are following developments in the security situation in the region, given the vital role of the Strait in the movement of oil, gas, and goods between the Gulf and global markets.
Ship movement data is seen as an important indicator of the level of navigational activity in the strait, but real-time data may not reflect the final number of ships passing due to some ships stopping sending tracking signals during voyages.
