Only 13 vessels crossed Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, says maritime intelligence firm
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- Only 13 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler.
- Nine vessels used an Iranian-approved route, while four switched off their tracking transponders.
Only 13 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler, highlighting the continued disruption to traffic through the strategic waterway.
The figure was a slight increase from the nine vessels recorded on Wednesday but remains far below normal levels.
The limited traffic also contrasts with repeated claims by US President Donald Trump earlier this week that the strait was "open" and under US control.
Of the 13 vessels that crossed on Thursday, nine followed a route approved by Iran that the US has warned ships against using. The remaining four switched off their tracking transponders, making their routes impossible to determine.
The risks facing vessels attempting to navigate the waterway were underscored Thursday night when the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said two of its ships had been attacked in the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy corridor, carrying a significant share of the world's oil and gas shipments.
The International Energy Agency warned Wednesday that the need to restore traffic through the strait was becoming increasingly urgent as countries draw down their oil stockpiles, despite a recent decline in global oil prices.
