Maritime Traffic in Hormuz Falls to Lowest Level: Only 4 Ships Passed Monday, 436 Stuck — Oil Rises to $106.93

Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues to shrink day by day, as the U.S.–Iran war and attacks on energy infrastructure in the region intensify.

According to preliminary data from shipping monitor Kpler, cited by Reuters on Tuesday, only four commercial vessels passed through Hormuz on Monday — down from ten a day earlier. The Hormuz Strait Monitor reported that at least 436 ships remain stuck, waiting for safer sailing conditions.

The shrinking traffic comes after intensified attacks on ships in Hormuz and on Saudi energy infrastructure made one of the world’s most strategic energy routes almost unusable. Before the war, about 20 million barrels of oil a day passed through the strait.

Source: Al Jazeera

Uncertainty pushed oil prices higher again. Brent crude futures rose by $1.24, or 1.18 percent, reaching $106.93 a barrel at 00:26 GMT on Tuesday, as traders assess the risk of prolonged supply disruptions.

Analysts warn that the prolonged closure of Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline and the Houthis’ control over Bab al-Mandeb could remove up to 4 percent of global oil supply for as long as the strait remains largely blocked.