Strait of Hormuz Nearly Empty as Just 4 Commercial Ships Transit
The Strait of Hormuz saw another sharp decline in shipping traffic on Monday, with just four commercial vessels transiting the waterway, down from 10 the previous day, according to preliminary Kpler data cited by Reuters on September 15, 2026.
Strait of Hormuz: Just 4 Ships, Down From 10 a Day Earlier
The data showed that the two vessels exiting the strait were bulk carriers, one loaded and the other empty, while two oil tankers entered the waterway without cargo.
Reuters noted that the figures may not include some vessels that crossed the strait after switching off their Automatic Identification System, or AIS, transponders to avoid detection.
The decline follows several days of security developments in the strategic waterway. Profile News previously covered an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz and tensions surrounding maritime traffic.
From 125 Ships a Day Before the War to Just 4
Before the war with Iran began on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels a day, including oil and gas tankers, grain carriers and container ships.
About 20% of the world’s daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass through the strait, leaving current traffic levels far below those seen before the war.
Reports of Tanker Explosion as Diplomatic Efforts Stall
Iran’s Fars news agency, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said an oil tanker exploded and caught fire after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, without specifying when the incident occurred.
At the same time, Arab Gulf states postponed talks with Iran that had been scheduled to discuss possible arrangements concerning the strait, complicating diplomatic efforts related to the war and its impact on global oil supplies.
Bab al-Mandab Traffic Also Declines
The drop in shipping was not limited to Hormuz. Kpler data showed that 21 commercial vessels transited the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Monday, down from 28 the previous day.
The decline comes as tensions rise along Yemen’s western coast, where the Houthis said they carried out missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia amid military developments near the entrance to the Red Sea. Profile News previously covered developments involving the Houthis near Bab al-Mandab and escalating tensions in the Red Sea.
The decline in vessel traffic through both waterways comes amid mounting pressure on energy markets after some physical oil cargoes in Europe traded above $130 a barrel, while export disruptions from the region continued.
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