The number of ships carrying goods through the Strait of Hormuz has decreased significantly, with only 12 vessels passing through during the weekend, down from 35 in the previous weekend. This decline is attributed to the ongoing tensions in the Gulf and the stalled diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas supplies, has seen a substantial reduction in shipping traffic.
Despite the decline in observed shipping traffic, Middle Eastern oil producers continue to export crude oil through tankers that have disabled their tracking devices to avoid detection. According to data from shipping analytics company Kpler, four trackable vessels, including two product tankers and two empty bulk cargo and gas ships, left the strait on Sunday. Meanwhile, two small oil tankers entered the Gulf.
On Saturday, five vessels departed the Gulf, carrying agricultural products, liquefied petroleum gas, and fertilizers, while a large empty gas tanker entered the region. Prior to the US-Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz typically saw around 125 large commercial vessels, including oil and gas tankers, bulk cargo ships, and container ships, passing through daily.
The Houthi attacks on the Saudi East-West pipeline led state-owned energy company Aramco to increase exports through the Strait of Hormuz in September and October. This helped Saudi Arabia's exports recover to over 4 million barrels per day in September, after dropping to 2.4 million barrels per day in August, the lowest level since at least 2013.
According to Kpler data, 13 oil tankers, mostly very large crude carriers, left the Strait of Hormuz in the week ending September 13, carrying around 34 million barrels of crude oil. Saudi Arabia accounted for nearly half of these exports, while Iraq accounted for 35% of the volumes. JP Morgan analysts noted that Middle Eastern oil flows remain surprisingly robust despite the disruptions to the Saudi East-West pipeline.
The analysts reported that total oil flows averaged 17.1 million barrels per day over the past 10 days, only 6.1 million barrels per day less than the 2025 average. A significant shift was observed in Saudi Arabia, with satellite data showing an average oil flow of 2.9 million barrels per day through the Strait of Hormuz over the past six days, compared to around 700,000 barrels per day in August.
The ongoing tensions between the US and Iran have resulted in a substantial decline in ship crossings through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite this, oil producers in the region continue to export crude oil through tankers, albeit with reduced tracking visibility. The situation remains uncertain, with diplomatic efforts yet to yield a resolution to the conflict.
Key points
- The Strait of Hormuz has seen a significant decline in shipping traffic due to US-Iran tensions.
- Middle Eastern oil producers continue to export crude oil through tankers with reduced tracking visibility.
- Saudi Arabia's oil exports have recovered to over 4 million barrels per day in September.
