Bloomberg, citing vessel-tracking data, reported that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz came to an almost complete halt during the early hours of Tuesday, July 14.
An analysis of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data shows that the number of vessels whose positions and movements were visible has dropped sharply. Some ships have also switched off their tracking systems due to heightened security risks. As a result, publicly available data do not necessarily reflect all vessel movements.
The disruption follows attacks on oil tankers, the resumption of reciprocal attacks between Iran’s regime and the United States, and the increased risks associated with transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Data from Kpler, a maritime analytics company, also show that tanker traffic has fallen to its lowest level in about two months, with only six oil tankers passing through the strait on Sunday.
