Key facts
- Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained despite a pause in attacks between the US and Iran.
- US Central Command (Centcom) reported redirecting 18 commercial vessels, boarding two, and disabling two as part of its blockade since July 14.
- Data from Windward shows low traffic, with all transits on July 27 occurring along northern, Iran-favored routes.
- Alternative sources claim higher traffic, with "US-assisted" transits reaching 26 vessels over July 26-27.
- US forces disabled a sanctioned vessel, the Lavine, on July 24 and boarded the Charminar on July 25.
- UKTMO noted reduced traffic levels over the past 72 hours, with no sustained increase along the southern Omani corridor.
Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained despite a pause in attacks between the US and Iran. On July 27, only six vessels transited the strait, all utilizing the northern, Iran-favored traffic routing, according to data from vessel tracking service Windward. This follows a pattern of reduced traffic over the weekend, with only one outbound crossing detected on July 25.
Alternative data from the UK Trade Maritime Organization (UKTMO) and the US Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) suggests higher "US-assisted" transits, reaching 26 vessels over the July 26-27 period. However, UKTMO also noted that traffic continued at reduced levels over the past 72 hours, with no sustained increase along the southern Omani corridor.
US Central Command (Centcom) stated on July 28 that it had redirected 18 commercial vessels, boarded two, and disabled two more as part of its naval blockade since its resumption on July 14. US forces disabled the sanctioned very large gas carrier Lavine on July 24 and boarded the MR2 tanker Charminar on July 25 to ensure compliance with the blockade.