Iran Reopens Strait of Hormuz Blockade, Vessel Traffic Plummets to 5 Ships: Reuters

The Strait of Hormuz has reportedly been closed by Iran once more, causing a significant decrease in the number of ships transiting the vital waterway. Shipping data indicated that only five vessels passed through the strait on June 21. This action comes after Iran announced the closure in response to Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. The move contradicts a previous agreement reached with the United States to extend a temporary ceasefire by 60 days to facilitate peace talks. According to Kpler, a shipping tracking firm, the five ships observed passing through on June 21 included three Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), each carrying two million barrels of Saudi crude oil and fuel, with one en route to Japan. However, the report noted that this data might not account for vessels that intentionally disabled their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders while navigating the Persian Gulf. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the renewed closure on June 20. In contrast, the U.S. military stated that commercial vessels were continuing to pass through as normal. U.S. President Trump reportedly mentioned that approximately 19 million barrels of crude oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on June 20. Data from that day showed three VLCCs carrying crude oil from the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq departing the strait, along with three other tankers carrying various petroleum products. Additionally, 13 ships entered the strait, including two VLCCs. Amidst the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, Gulf oil producers like Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) have issued tenders to sell crude oil, offering buyers the option to load within or outside the Strait of Hormuz.