WEB DESK: The flow of maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz remained largely restricted on Tuesday, with only three vessels reported to have transited the waterway in the past 24 hours, according to shipping data.
The US-imposed blockade targeting Iranian ports has heightened tensions with Tehran, which has responded by imposing its own restrictions on the strait a critical route that traditionally facilitates around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Among the vessels that managed to cross was the unnamed Ean Spir product tanker, which had previously docked at an Iraqi port. MarineTraffic data confirmed its passage through Hormuz on Tuesday. Similarly, the Lian Star cargo ship, also unmarked by a known flag or ownership, transited from an Iranian port.
In addition, the Meda liquefied petroleum gas tanker, which had called at a Gulf port in the United Arab Emirates and remains without a disclosed flag or ownership, attempted to exit the Gulf again on Monday after turning back earlier, according to satellite analysis from data specialists SynMax.These ships represent only a small fraction of the approximately 140 vessels that routinely crossed the strait before the escalation of tensions following the US and Israel’s actions against Iran on February 28.
Following Iran’s brief declaration that the strait was open last Friday—before promptly closing it on Saturday amid gunfire targeting vessels—more than a dozen ships attempted to pass through in the interim.Shipbroker BRS highlighted the dangers faced by vessels even when they appear to meet official transit requirements, noting that some ships encounter threats and obstacles despite following established procedures.
Meanwhile, prospects for peace are dimming, as a ceasefire between the US and Iran seems increasingly fragile. Iran has yet to commit to new peace negotiations, and the US military announced the seizure of a tanker linked to Iran in international waters. Lives of seafarers remain at significant risk, with hundreds of ships and approximately 20,000 crew members stranded inside the Gulf, unable to navigate freely.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the UN Maritime Agency, emphasized the peril faced by crew members, stating, “We cannot risk the lives of the seafarers.” He recounted last weekend’s events when ships attempted to sail, only for the strait to be declared closed, with some vessels targeted. Fortunately, there were no casualties or vessel damages.
Iran’s military reported that an Iranian tanker entered its territorial waters from the Arabian Sea on Monday, aided by the Iranian Navy, despite repeated US warnings and threats.
According to shipbroker BRS, approximately 61 supertankers unrelated to Iran are currently trapped in the Gulf, with 50 of them carrying up to 2 million barrels of oil each. BRS noted that, at a time when global demand for crude oil is high, the potential loss of an additional 2 million barrels from the Middle East would be highly significant, underscoring the ongoing impact of the blockade on global markets.
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