Baku, July 17, AZERTAC
Only three commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours as of 0730GMT Friday, marking the lowest daily transit level since May as maritime traffic remained largely halted amid renewed military escalation between the US and Iran, Anadolu Agency reported.
Most vessels either stopped before entering the strategic waterway or reversed course following recent Iranian attacks on commercial ships and Washington's resumption of a blockade on shipping entering or leaving Iranian ports.
Shipping data showed that the sanctioned product tanker Miraan, carrying fuel oil, the small liquefied petroleum gas carrier Norita and the bulk carrier Maha Yaya were the only commodity vessels to cross the strait on Thursday.
Miraan and Norita exited through the Iranian route but later stopped in the Gulf of Oman, where the US blockade is being enforced.
The bunkering tanker Arolia, laden with Iraqi fuel oil used to refuel vessels at sea, crossed the strait early Friday but made a U-turn several hours later and headed back into the Gulf.
The disruption followed the breakdown of a US-Iran ceasefire and reopening arrangement reached in June, with both sides resuming military operations around the vital energy corridor.
The US launched successive strikes against Iranian coastal and maritime military capabilities after reinstating its blockade of Iranian ports this week.
According to US Central Command, US forces struck targets in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas during a five-hour operation, including coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities.
The escalation intensified after Iranian cruise missiles struck the UAE tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in the southern passage of the strait in Omani waters, killing one Indian crew member and injuring eight others.
The International Maritime Organization had confirmed 56 shipping incidents linked to the regional conflict and 17 seafarer fatalities as of Tuesday.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy corridors, carrying crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas from Gulf producers to international markets.