Hormuz Traffic Continues After Singapore Ship Attack; Owners Reconsider Routes

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has continued unabated in both directions, despite a projectile attack on the Singaporean container ship Ever Lovely. This incident, the first since a temporary U.S.-Iran peace deal, has caused some ship owners and captains to pause or re-evaluate their transit plans through the crucial energy route.

Reports indicate that at least one Asia-based company has instructed its staff to hold vessels in the Gulf while executives reassess transit options. However, ship-tracking data suggests the attack has not halted a gradual recovery in traffic through the strait. On Friday, two fully loaded tankers were seen heading out of the Gulf, while four empty Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) were among those sailing inbound along the Omani coast, utilizing the southern route managed by Oman and coordinated by the U.S.

The outbound traffic along the Omani route included an Aframax tanker bound for India and a small tanker subject to U.S. sanctions. A crude oil-laden VLCC from the United Arab Emirates also entered the strait, alongside a product tanker carrying cargo from the same exporter. In the opposite direction, an empty VLCC heading for Basrah, Iraq, entered the waterway, accompanied by three other vessels linked to the UAE. An LNG carrier off Khor Fakkan also appeared to be attempting passage.

Several ships used the northern route near Iran, recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). These included a South Korean-flagged product tanker, another product tanker destined for Indonesia, and a bulk carrier. The management of Hormuz remains a point of contention between Washington and Tehran, with the U.S. asserting that Iran must keep the strait toll-free and prevent shipping charges to achieve a permanent peace agreement.

Windward data shows that 62 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on June 24, comprising 21 inbound and 41 outbound. Five "dark" transits were recorded, with two inbound and three outbound, referring to vessels moving with limited or no AIS visibility. Outbound traffic was concentrated in the southern corridor, with 26 of the 41 ships using that route, while the northern corridor remains the primary Iran-adjacent path for inbound traffic. Data also indicates two 333-meter VLCCs departed the southern corridor within a minute of each other, while a South Korean-flagged VLCC, detained in the Gulf since February, has departed, suggesting a potential easing of tensions.