- US and Iranian attacks on oil tankers sharply disrupt commercial traffic as maritime risk reaches ‘extreme’ levels
SINGAPORE: An average of just 10 commodity-carrying vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz each day over the past 10 days, marking the lowest level since May, as escalating attacks by US and Iranian forces on tankers continue to disrupt commercial shipping in the strategically vital waterway, shipping data showed on Monday.
The 10-day moving average stood at 10 vessels on Sunday, down from more than 15 on Friday and nearly 13 on Saturday, according to data from maritime analytics firm Kpler.
Only two vessels passed through the strait on Saturday, followed by six on Sunday, with most ships using the Iranian side of the waterway.
The sharp decline in traffic follows a series of attacks involving oil tankers. US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, the US Central Command said, including one near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub. The strikes came after attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on US warships operating in the region.
In retaliation, the IRGC Navy said it had targeted three oil tankers travelling through unauthorized routes in the strait, as well as three additional US vessels in other areas.
Maritime intelligence firm Marisks identified the three Iranian tankers as Downy, Stark I and Kylo, also known as Noxen.
The attacks on Saturday represented a “major escalation in the maritime conflict,” Marisks said in a note, warning that commercial vessels were increasingly becoming part of the broader confrontation.
“Commercial tankers are now being deliberately used as instruments of reciprocal economic pressure,” the firm said, adding that the development was substantially eroding the distinction between military confrontation and commercial shipping.
Marisks assessed the risk as “extreme” for Iranian- and Iran-linked vessels and “materially elevated” for US-linked or US-escorted shipping throughout the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
Dozens of Maritime Incidents Reported
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in its weekly report that 27 projectile strike incidents had been recorded since July 6, causing damage to vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Kpler data showed that on Sunday, one very large crude carrier (VLCC) and three bulk carriers carrying metals, grains or oilseeds entered the strait.
However, no VLCC has exited the Strait of Hormuz since Wednesday, according to the shipping data.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carries a significant share of global oil and gas supplies. Continued disruption to shipping through the waterway could further increase risks for energy markets, commercial operators and global supply chains.
BY: The Times Union
