Hormuz Strait Traffic Hits Lowest Level Since May

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest point in months, with only one oil tanker recorded passing through the strategic waterway on Thursday. This marks the lowest daily transit figure since May 7.

The single vessel that departed the Persian Gulf on Thursday was a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), the second-largest category of oil tanker. It is reportedly en route to Rizhao, China, with an expected arrival in mid-August.

According to data from the analysis firm Kpler, no ships entered the Hormuz Strait on Thursday. The previous day, three oil tankers had transited the strait, which serves as a crucial chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and global shipping lanes.

In separate but related traffic data, Kpler reported that 32 tankers passed through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which marks the entrance to the Red Sea. Of these, 14 were heading into the Red Sea and 18 were sailing out towards the Gulf of Aden, with nine of those carrying crude oil. This compares to 26 tankers transiting the Bab al-Mandab the day before.