Hormuz vessel traffic slows to four exits over weekend

Key facts

• Only four vessels exited the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
• Ten vessels entered the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
• A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
• The vital East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia was temporarily shut down by a drone attack.
• The Strait of Hormuz typically handled about 125 large, commercial vessels per day before February 28, accounting for some 20% of the world’s daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply.

Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed significantly over the weekend, with only four vessels exiting the Persian Gulf, according to preliminary shiptracking data. This figure is well below the 10-day average of 14 vessels.

Over the weekend, four vessels exited the Gulf, including a Handysize vessel sailing in ballast, a Handy vessel carrying LPG, a Supramax carrying fertilizer and a Suezmax laden with crude or condensate. Ten vessels entered the Gulf, including a mini-bulker carrying minor bulk commodities, a Handymax carrying grain, a Panamax carrying metals and a Supramax carrying dry bulk cargo.

The figures exclude any vessels that might have crossed the strait with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection.

A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said early on Sunday. The crew's status, damage assessment and environmental impact were unknown.

Meanwhile, the vital East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, which has helped relieve the logjam in the Strait of Hormuz, was temporarily shut down by a drone attack coming from Iraq, Saudi officials said.

Before the Iran war started on February 28, the strait typically handled about 125 large, commercial vessels per day, including tankers, gas carriers, bulkers and container vessels, accounting for some 20% of the world’s daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply.