Key facts
- Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to a two-month low, with crude flows at 10.1 million barrels a day.
- The number of tankers traversing the strait on Tuesday was seven, the lowest since late July.
- Between September 28 and October 2, 12 attacks were reported on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The Joint Maritime Information Center stated that these actions demonstrate Iran's intent to assert presence and maintain pressure on vessels.
Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has declined to its lowest point in two months, with crude oil flows dropping significantly amid a surge in attacks on vessels. Analysts from Kpler reported that crude crossing the strait fell 27% from the previous week to at least 10.1 million barrels a day. On Tuesday, only seven commodity carriers were counted traversing the strait, a figure not seen since late July.
Despite the recent dip, Kpler noted that current flows are back to their September average, though still 74% of their pre-war level. The most pronounced decrease in tanker movements was observed in vessels involved in ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in the Gulf of Oman, a method Saudi Arabia has used to increase crude exports. Earlier in September, Kpler had also reported lower energy commodity flows out of Hormuz, but observed improvements towards the end of the month.
Between September 28 and October 2, at least 12 attacks were carried out on tankers transporting crude oil, liquid petroleum gas, and liquefied natural gas, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which is led by the U.S. Navy. The JMIC stated that these actions demonstrate Iran's intent to assert its presence in key transit lanes and maintain pressure on vessels. The number of attacks recorded during this period is the highest since the conflict began in late February.