Hormuz Shipping Slows to Near Standstill

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply over the weekend following attacks on tankers and stalled US-Iranian talks over the Middle East conflict.

Five commodity vessels transited the strait on Saturday and none were recorded on Sunday, shiptracking data from Kpler showed, compared with 31 the previous weekend.

Before the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran in February, more than 130 ships a day passed through the strait.

Traffic appeared to grind to a near standstill after the United Arab Emirates said three vessels operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were attacked in transit last week.

The United States said it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said shipping would resume only if Washington met Tehran’s conditions regarding the strait.

(Reuters, bak)