Hormuz traffic falls to lowest level in more than two months

• Only seven vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the lowest daily figure since July 23, according to Kpler data.
• Crude oil flows through the strait fell 27% from the wartime peak to at least 10.1 million barrels per day.

The number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level in more than two months, shipping data showed, as attacks on oil tankers using the vital waterway reached their highest level since the start of the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran.

According to data from shipping analytics firm Kpler, only seven cargo vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, marking the lowest daily level since July 23.

In a note dated October 6, Kpler analysts Emmanuel Belostrino and Yui Torikata said crude oil volumes passing through the strait had fallen 27% from their wartime peak recorded the previous week.

Flows stood at at least 10.1 million barrels per day, the analysts said.

The latest figure represents a return to September's average, but remains significantly below pre-war levels.

"That represents 74% of the pre-war level," the analysts said.

The decline highlights the continuing disruption to one of the world's most important oil transit routes. The Strait of Hormuz normally carries a substantial share of global oil shipments, making changes in traffic through the waterway closely watched by energy markets.

Despite the decline in Hormuz traffic, oil exports from the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea have increased sharply.

According to Kpler, exports from those areas reached 6.7 million barrels per day, more than double their pre-war levels.

The surge in alternative shipments has helped offset part of the supply shortfall caused by the reduced flow through the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest data come amid heightened security concerns surrounding tankers transiting the waterway, with attacks on vessels reaching their highest level since the war began.