Hormuz Shipping Declines as US Tightens Pressure on Iran

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz declined on Wednesday, the first full day after the United States reinstated its naval blockade of Iranian ports as fighting between Washington and Tehran intensified in the Persian Gulf.

According to shipping analytics firm Kpler, nine vessels transited the strait, down from 13 the previous day. Most sailed along the Iranian shipping lane. No very large crude carrier or liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker passed through the waterway on Wednesday.

US Central Command said it intercepted an empty oil tanker bound for Iran's Kharg Island after the vessel failed to respond to repeated warnings. US forces fired Hellfire missiles at the ship's funnel, prompting the Belma, sailing under the flag of Curaçao, to turn away from Iran.

The US military said that since the blockade was reinstated on Tuesday, it has diverted two vessels and disabled another.

Tensions in the region escalated after Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Before the conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies passed through the strategic waterway.

(Reuters, bak)