Trackable bulk commodity vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz fell to 12 on September 19-20, down from 35 the previous weekend. According to Sina Finance, the figure was also far below the roughly 125 large merchant ships that passed daily before the war.
The latest tracking data showed that only 12 identifiable bulk commodity transport vessels crossed the strait over the weekend, less than 10% of prewar daily traffic. The previous weekend saw 35 vessels pass through, indicating that the brief recovery in shipping activity has narrowed again.
The statistics are based on tracks captured by automatic identification systems and cover tankers, product tankers, liquefied natural gas carriers, and some bulk carriers. Some ships turn off or reduce signal transmission in high-risk waters, so the tracked count mainly reflects publicly visible shipping activity.
The Strait of Hormuz remains classified as a severely high-risk waterway. Recent attacks on merchant ships and regional military action have forced shipowners to reassess crew safety, insurance coverage, and escort arrangements before entering the Persian Gulf.
Even when vessels are ultimately cleared to pass, waiting times, insurance premiums, and charter costs rise with the risk level. For large tankers, a single delayed voyage can tie up capacity for weeks, further reducing the number of ships immediately available to carry Middle East cargo.
The Strait of Hormuz handled an average of about 20.9 million barrels per day of oil and other liquid fuels in the first half of 2025, accounting for about one-quarter of global seaborne oil trade. More than 20% of global LNG trade also passed through the strait during the same period. Asia is the main destination, with China, India, Japan, and South Korea receiving about 74% of crude oil and condensate shipments through the strait.
Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline was originally one of the main overland routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, but it was shut after an attack, and repairs are expected to take three to five weeks. Before that, about 2.6 million to 4 million barrels of oil per day were sent through the pipeline to the Red Sea. With the alternative route disrupted, more Gulf crude must again rely on the Strait of Hormuz, while vessel traffic is falling at the same time, leaving supply recovery constrained by capacity, insurance, and security.
Anais