Strait of Hormuz Tanker Transits Recovering But Still Below Pre-War Levels

Transits through the Strait of Hormuz rose more than 30 percent last week, with 114 recorded between August 17 and August 24 versus 87 the prior week, driven mostly by tankers and gas carriers, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence cited by USNI News 1. Westbound transits into the strait reached at least 42, up from 29 the week before, including crude tankers from Sinokor, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co./Adnoc, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait 1. Even with the increase, traffic remains a fraction of the roughly 100 vessels that transited daily before the war began on February 28, per CNN's Kpler-sourced figures, and Lloyd's List Editor-in-Chief Richard Meade said the industry is "still operating under crisis conditions" 12. Attacks on individual vessels have continued, with MT Al Salam II struck Thursday and MT Metro Venetian hit Monday off Oman, and the IMO now counts 70 ships attacked and 19 seafarers killed across the six-month conflict 1. U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the U.S. has cleared all mines from the strait's international shipping lanes and has assisted nearly 1,500 commercial vessels since the war began 1.