Hormuz commodity ship transits fall to nine, shiptracking data shows
USO•Ship transits at the Strait of Hormuz fell to nine on Thursday from 14 the previous day, below the 10-day average of 18. Bab el-Mandeb transits were little changed at 26.
1. Hormuz traffic declines
Preliminary shiptracking data showed nine vessel transits at the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, compared with 14 on Wednesday. Eight ships exited and one entered; the exits included a ballast very large gas carrier and a laden very large crude carrier, while the entering vessel was a dry bulk handymax carrier. The data excludes vessels that may be sailing with transponders turned off.
2. Bab el-Mandeb traffic
At the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Thursday transits were little changed from Wednesday at 26, with 12 ships entering and 14 exiting. One entering ship was a laden very large crude carrier carrying Iraqi Basrah crude bound for Egypt with its transponder switched on.
3. Prewar comparison
Before the Iran war started on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels per day, accounting for some 20% of the world's daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
