Shipping data from analytics firm Kpler indicates that only 14 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, a decrease of approximately 60% compared to the 37 vessels recorded on the same day the previous week.
Analysts from maritime intelligence firms Windward and Kpler have noted that commercial shipping along the southern route, which receives US military escort, has largely ceased.
In contrast, the US Central Command has stated that the strait remains open and navigable for vessels.
Recent military confrontations between the US and Iran, sparked by Iranian attacks on commercial ships, have led to a significant decline in traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz over the past week.
Kpler's data shows that of the 14 vessels that crossed on Sunday, only four were crude oil tankers. Prior to the onset of the US-Israel joint military campaign against Iran on February 28th, daily vessel transits through the strait routinely exceeded one hundred.
The security situation in the waterway has deteriorated sharply over the past week, leading to a continued drop in shipping activity. Iran has repeatedly targeted merchant vessels using the southern route, which runs close to the Omani coast under US naval protection, while demanding that all ships instead use the northern route that passes through its territorial waters.
In retaliation, US forces have conducted multiple military strikes against Iran, which has responded with counterattacks against targets belonging to US allies in the Gulf region.
According to Kpler, following the series of attacks, an increasing number of vessels are opting for the northern route under Iranian control. An analyst from the maritime intelligence company Windward stated on social media that shipping along the US-protected southern route is "effectively at a standstill."
Kpler further noted that over the weekend, the southern route along the Omani coast saw almost no vessel traffic.
However, the US Central Command maintains that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that vessels can still transit normally. It noted that some ships have turned off their Automatic Identification System transponders while using the southern route, making it difficult to accurately count the actual number of vessels navigating that path.
On Monday, the US President announced the reinstatement of a US maritime blockade against Iran. Simultaneously, he demanded that transiting vessels pay a fee equivalent to 20% of their cargo's value as compensation for US military protection.
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