Full Breakdown
Shipping Through the Strait of Hormuz: Declining Traffic, Rising Costs and Growing Risks
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Sharp Drop in Vessel Transits
On the weekend of September 21, only 17 commodity vessels were recorded moving through the Strait of Hormuz, down from 37 a week earlier, according to analytics firm Kpler. Trackable ships included the very-large-crude carrier *Pinios* and two refined-product tankers; a single LNG carrier, the *Shandong Redwood*, exited the strait on September 19 en route to Pakistan.
Background & Context – War-Driven Constraints
The strait, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG, has been a focal point of the U.S.–Iran conflict that began on February 28. Since then, attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Iranian naval actions have forced exporters to reroute and limit movements.
Data & Statistics – Traffic, Costs and Incidents
- Weekly volume (week of September 13): Reuters reported 22 tankers moving 42 million barrels of crude; other outlets cited 13 tankers carrying 34 million barrels.
- Charter rates: Fortune notes daily charter costs for a vessel crossing the strait have risen to $1.035 million, up from about $208,000 for a comparable VLCC.
- Insurance premiums: Now roughly 10 % of a vessel’s cargo value, up from 0.5-1 % before the war.
- Casualties: Marketplace reports at least 17 seafarers have died since hostilities began, most linked to Iranian strikes.
- Environmental spills: Greenpeace identified five major oil slicks covering about 240 km²; the slicks have shrunk to ?80 km² but still threaten coral reefs and mangroves.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. officials said Iranian crude exports are currently zero barrels due to the blockade.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed two incidents in which tankers were hit by “unknown projectiles,” noting crews were safe and no immediate environmental damage was observed.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they struck and detained the Togo-flagged tanker *Trend* on September 18, labeling the passage “illegal” after a fire disabled the vessel.
On-the-Ground Reports – Seafarers’ Experience
Energy correspondent Jillian Ambrose (The Guardian) described the strait as a “warlike operations area” where crews face constant threat of missile strikes, mines and psychological strain.
Environmental Impact – Ongoing Ecological Threats
Greenpeace expert Nina Noelle warned that oil coating mangrove aerial roots “hinders … gas exchange,” potentially suffocating the trees.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Vessel counts: Reuters cites 17 vessels on September 21, while the New York Post and Oilprice report “a dozen.”
- Weekly tanker totals: Reuters’ 22 tankers (42 million barrels) differs from NYPost’s 13 tankers (34 million barrels).
- Environmental assessments: Greenpeace’s 240 km² slick estimate contrasts with later images showing 80 km², but the organization calls the latter “conservative.”
Why It Matters – Energy Markets and Regional Stability
Reduced traffic raises shipping costs, inflates insurance premiums and squeezes global oil prices, which have repeatedly topped $100 per barrel. Environmental damage threatens marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods in Oman, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. naval escort program aims to keep the chokepoint open, but continued missile strikes and Iranian detentions keep the corridor “severely impaired and increasingly selective,” limiting the flow of energy supplies worldwide.
