Despite intense airstrikes between the US and Iran this week, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has not yet ceased. According to AXSMarine, dozens of vessels traverse this critically important strait every day.
At the beginning of this year, following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz nearly came to a halt. However, three weeks ago, after the US and Iran signed a “memorandum of understanding” (MOU), the number of ships passing through the strait increased, though it remained significantly lower than the approximately 120 vessels that previously crossed daily.
Escalation of the Conflict and Attacks on Tankers
With the US and Iran resuming large-scale hostilities this week, it seemed inevitable that the sea route would be avoided once again. This concern was heightened after Iran attacked a gas carrier from Qatar and two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, in recent days, dozens of ships have continued to pass through the strait: 45 on Wednesday and 32 yesterday. Similar numbers of vessels have used this waterway on previous days, including some flying the Japanese flag.
The Minister of Transport of Japan announced today that 22 ships linked to Japan have transited the strait since Tuesday. When asked how Japan managed this, the minister stated he could not provide an answer for security reasons.
Source: de Volkskrant
