Shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted, with all traffic recorded over the past 24 hours consisting exclusively of vessels associated with Iran. Operators continue to adopt a wait-and-see approach as Tehran maintains control over passage and Israeli strikes on Lebanon threaten the fragile ceasefire agreement.
Although Iran has stated that its right to collect transit fees is part of a two-week ceasefire agreement reached with the United States, the International Maritime Organization has warned that this sets a dangerous and unacceptable precedent for global shipping.
Non-Iranian oil flows from the Persian Gulf remain extremely limited. The seven-day average export volume through Wednesday fell below 1 million barrels per day. A brief recovery occurred in early April, driven by the departure of two Oman-linked very large crude carriers (VLCCs) carrying 4 million barrels of crude oil, but this momentum has since faded.
Since Wednesday morning, seven vessels have departed the Persian Gulf, while six others have arrived, primarily involving Iran-related shipping.
All observed maritime traffic over the past day has passed through the narrow northern channel located between Iran's Larak Island and Qeshm Island.
Electronic interference continues to disrupt ship tracking systems in the region. Additionally, vessels are turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders in high-risk waters, further reducing the timeliness and reliability of tracking data.
Observed traffic since Wednesday morning includes one Iranian Suezmax tanker, five bulk carriers, and one container ship departing the area.
The practice of "going dark" in high-risk zones may result in initially underreported traffic figures, which could be revised upward as delayed data becomes available.
Since Wednesday morning, two container ships and four bulk carriers have entered the Persian Gulf, with most linked to Iranian interests.
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