Strait of Hormuz Tanker Traffic Hits Three-Month Low
FlatRigor 5031 sources
The Story
Only two commodity tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking the lowest daily number recorded since early May, according to shipping data from Kpler. Both vessels entered the Gulf from the Gulf of Oman, including one very large gas carrier and one very large crude carrier. This figure fell sharply below the 10-day daily average of 14 vessels. Preliminary figures from Vortexa estimated Monday's oil flows through the strategic waterway at five million barrels per day, with the seven-day moving average standing at six to seven million barrels per day as of August 23. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled expanded US sanctions on Monday, aimed at cutting off Iran's economic lifeline. Bessent warned that countries continuing to trade with Iran risked losing access to the dollar-based financial system. Iran vowed to retaliate against these expanded sanctions, while expressing confidence that its major trading partners would resist Washington's pressure campaign. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz carried about a fifth of global flows of crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Xavier Tang, a senior market analyst at Vortexa, noted that if conflict in the region escalates or vessels are attacked, Hormuz transit could be affected. On Monday, 30 vessels transited Bab el-Mandeb, another key chokepoint on the opposite side of the Arabian peninsula, which was broadly in line with the ten-day average. Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi is expected to visit Tehran on Tuesday amid ongoing talks between Iran and Muscat over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- Commodity vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday fell to their lowest daily level since early May.
- Shipping data from Kpler reported only two commodity tankers transited the strait on Monday, below the 10-day average of 14 vessels.
- Iran announced it has blacklisted 45 tankers for violating its rules on passage through the Strait of Hormuz and threatened action against them.
- The US Treasury Secretary unveiled expanded sanctions against Iran on Monday, warning countries trading with Iran about losing access to the dollar-based financial system.
- Iran has vowed to retaliate against the expanded US sanctions.
Where they split
- Middle East Eye's initial reporting on Tuesday stated only one commodity vessel transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, while later reports from Reuters and Al Arabiya English, citing Kpler data, specified two vessels.
- Some articles, such as Reuters and The Express Tribune, explicitly mention Iran's threat of "fines, confiscation" against blacklisted tankers, while others, like Cyprus Mail, use more general terms like "threatening action."
- Rudaw focuses on the UN chief's statement that food supply is "collateral damage" in the Strait of Hormuz conflict, a perspective not highlighted in other coverage.
- Al Arabiya English and CGTN (China Global Television Network) include details about Oman's top diplomat visiting Iran to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, a point not present in all other articles.
Source Perspectives
Left3 sources
Center24 sources