Hormuz Records Just Nine Vessel Movements Over Last 24 Hours

(MENAFN) Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to a trickle, with ship tracking data compiled by media recording just nine vessel movements in both directions over a 24-hour window ending 0900GMT Monday — a figure far below the waterway's normal operational pace.

Eastbound through the strait, six ships were logged in transit. The Ocean Energy was en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran, carrying dirty petroleum products in a laden state. The Blue Navigator was bound for Sultan Qaboos, Oman, while the Milan and Ganj were separately heading toward Khasab and Al Suwaeq — both ports within Oman. The Hakim Khamir, transporting clean petroleum products, was charting a course toward New Mangalore, India. Rounding out that direction, the LPG tanker Nooh Gas was also recorded moving toward Khasab, Oman.

Westbound traffic was even thinner, comprising only three vessels. The container ship Muara was making its way toward Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, while the chemical and oil products tanker Pilatus Marine was heading to the UAE's Hamriyah Free Zone. The G Jades was also confirmed in transit. Beyond active movement, tracking indicators showed multiple vessels anchored or moored in the area, reflecting persistent congestion and navigational wariness along the passage.

Tanker Strike Shadows U.S. Escort Initiative
The sparse traffic data emerged against a backdrop of fresh alarm after UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that a tanker was struck by unidentified projectiles north of Fujairah, in close proximity to the strait — arriving shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled Project Freedom, a plan designed to escort stranded civilian vessels through the embattled waterway. The attack deepened anxiety over whether commercial shipping could safely resume in a region that serves as a critical conduit for global crude oil, refined petroleum, and liquefied natural gas.

Iran sharpened the tension further by issuing a direct warning that U.S. forces entering the strait would be met with force, and by cautioning commercial ships and oil tankers against transiting without prior coordination with its military — a declaration that threatens to place international energy logistics in an increasingly difficult position.

President Trump indicated that Project Freedom would prioritize civilian vessels flying the flags of non-aligned nations, enabling them to exit the waterway and resume normal commercial operations, with the initiative slated to launch Monday.

Despite the hardening rhetoric, Tehran signaled it was still examining Washington's reply to its 14-point diplomatic proposal, leaving a narrow opening for a negotiated resolution.

Regional shipping has been under sustained pressure since late February, when the Iran conflict and its associated security fallout disrupted Gulf airspace, energy infrastructure, and maritime corridors alike. The single-digit vessel count recorded Monday suggests the strait remains far from operational normalcy — even as international efforts mount to restore traffic and stabilize global energy supply chains.

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