Shipping traffic in Hormuz drops to its lowest level since May

• An average of 10 commodity ships per day have transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past 10 days, the lowest level since May, according to Reuters citing Kpler data.
• Maritime tensions have intensified following attacks on tankers, with 27 projectile incidents reported around the strait since July 6.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply amid escalating maritime tensions, reaching its lowest level since May, according to Reuters.

Citing data from shipping analytics firm Kpler, Reuters reported that the 10-day moving average stood at 10 commodity vessels per day on Sunday. That compares with more than 15 on Friday and nearly 13 on Saturday.

Only two vessels crossed the strategic waterway on Saturday, followed by six on Sunday, most of them using the Iranian route.

Kpler data showed that one very large crude carrier, or VLCC, and three bulk carriers entered the strait on Sunday. No VLCC has exited the waterway since Wednesday.

Separately, LSEG data cited by Reuters showed that a tanker carrying refined petroleum products from a Saudi port attempted to leave the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday but turned back.

The slowdown comes amid heightened maritime tensions following a new round of US and Iranian attacks on tankers, increasing concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through one of the world's most important energy corridors.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said 27 projectile strike incidents have damaged vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz since July 6.

The disruption has raised concerns over the impact on global energy supplies and shipping costs, as vessels increasingly avoid or delay passage through the waterway.