Tracked Hormuz commodity traffic falls from 31 ships to five, then zero after attacks

Tracked commodity shipping through the Strait of Hormuz almost stopped over the weekend after fresh attacks on vessels, with only five commodity ships recorded on Saturday and none on Sunday compared with 31 during the previous weekend.

Kpler’s vessel-tracking data showed that Saturday’s limited traffic included an empty very large crude carrier and a very large gas carrier, while a smaller tanker carrying Iranian fuel oil exited the strait. Some ships may have crossed without being detected because vessels can switch off their automatic identification systems, meaning the figures should not be interpreted as proof that no shipping moved through the waterway.

The slowdown followed a fresh deterioration in maritime security. UK Maritime Trade Operations verified that a tanker was struck by an uncrewed aerial vehicle during an outbound transit on 13 August, causing minor damage but no reported injuries. A bulk carrier was then struck by an unidentified projectile on 14 August. Its crew was also reported safe.

Reuters reported that the United Arab Emirates said three ADNOC-operated vessels had been attacked during the preceding week. Current traffic remains far below the more than 130 ships a day that crossed Hormuz before the war. The strait handled around one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict.

For commodity and trade financiers, prolonged disruption can increase the amount of working capital trapped in cargoes while also raising freight, insurance and inventory-holding costs. Documentary transactions can become more difficult where shipment dates or transport routes no longer match the terms of letters of credit, potentially requiring amendments before documents remain compliant.

There is still a diplomatic route towards reopening. Iran said on Monday that it had reached an understanding with Oman over the map for a proposed transit arrangement and that the two sides were working towards a joint statement. It remains unclear whether the plan will meet US conditions for a wider agreement.

The operational data therefore remains considerably weaker than the diplomatic signals. Until vessel traffic recovers consistently, banks, insurers and commodity traders face continued uncertainty over delivery timing and marine risk.