Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level since May
According to the latest data from maritime analytics company Kpler, commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level since May. Over the 10 days ending on Sunday, an average of just 10 commercial vessels passed through the strait, the lowest since May, underscoring the impact of ongoing mutual naval attacks between the US and Iran on commercial shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz is not just a narrow strip of water between Iran and Oman. It is the main artery of the global economy, through which about a third of the world's seaborne oil passes. When shells explode and tankers burn in this place, it is felt not only in the Middle East but also at petrol stations in Europe, on exchanges in Asia and in the wallets of millions of consumers.
Every ship that does not pass through the strait is not only a loss for shipowners but also a rise in energy prices and a new crack in the fragile balance of global stability. And when both sides — the US and Iran — strike at ships, they are not hitting military targets but the very body of global trade.
The data also showed that average daily traffic through the Strait of Hormuz stood at nearly 13 vessels as of Saturday, while the corresponding figure as of Friday exceeded 15. On Sunday, five vessels passed through the strait, compared with just two on Saturday. Since Wednesday, no large crude oil tankers have left the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that US forces had struck three Iranian crude oil tankers.
According to US military officials, the operation was a response to an attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on two US warships patrolling regional waters. On Saturday, the IRGC Navy announced it had struck three US vessels and three oil tankers that were following unauthorised routes in the Strait of Hormuz. Saturday's attacks represent a "serious escalation of the maritime conflict," said Greek maritime intelligence firm Marisks. Marisks assessed that navigation of Iranian or Iran linked cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman carried an "extremely high" risk.
According to the weekly report of the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), 27 ship attack incidents have occurred in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters since 6 July. Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said that in the coming days his country would announce the creation of a restricted access zone outside the Strait of Hormuz and would place any vessel attempting to pass through the area on Tehran's sanctions list.
The conflict around the Strait of Hormuz escalated after the US and Israel launched a large scale military campaign against Iran on 28 February 2026. Since then, the strait has effectively ceased to be open for commercial shipping. The US has repeatedly stated that it ensures freedom of navigation, but its military operations and strikes on Iranian tankers only add fuel to the fire.
Iran, for its part, uses its proxy forces and missile arsenals to block the strait and launch retaliatory strikes. Each new incident brings the region closer to the point of no return. Trump is already threatening Iran with an "economic D Day", while Tehran announces restricted access zones. The global oil market is holding its breath — and there is nothing good about that wait.
As CCTV+ reports, the sharp drop in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is not just a statistic but a harbinger of crisis. If the conflict continues, oil prices could skyrocket and the global economy could face a new shock. The coming days will show whether diplomacy can prevent disaster, or whether the Strait of Hormuz will become the scene of a new war that will affect every one of us.
