Strait of Hormuz Traffic Reaches 20 Percent of Pre-War Levels as US Navy Secures Key Shipping Routes

Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz were visible from Musandam, Oman, on August 17.

According to a CNN analysis of figures from the UK Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO), the number of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz increased by 27 percent over the past week, recording 103 vessels entering and 89 leaving. Despite this rise, traffic remains at only 20 percent of the seven-day pre-war average as the waterway continues to be a central focal point of the Iran war.

Most of the traversing vessels were flagged from Panama (7) and Liberia (6), with zero ships originating from the United States. Product tankers, typically used for transporting refined petroleum products, made up the most common type of vessel passing through the strait.

Current evidence indicates that the US Navy is gaining ground in the region while Iran's control diminishes. Over the past two weeks, more than 80 percent of liquids have transuted via the Omani route, which is a UN-authorized shipping channel strongly opposed by Iran.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright shared on X on Saturday that the US Navy recently assisted in shipping more than 15 million barrels of oil and products out of the strait, alongside an additional five million barrels through pipelines. "Make no mistake, thanks to the U.S. Navy, oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz," he stated.