Strait of Hormuz Tanker Transits Up But Still Below Pre–War Levels
Transits through the Strait of Hormuz rose more than 30 percent last week, with the increase mostly led by tankers and gas carriers. There were 114 transits between Aug. 17 and Sunday compared to Aug. 10-16, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Those numbers are likely to fluctuate as more dark transits are confirmed. There were at least 42 westbound transits into the strait from Aug. 17 to Sunday, with 29 the week prior, according to Lloyd’s data. The London-based maritime insurance agency tracked crude tankers from Sinokor, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Adnoc, as well as ships owned by
Strait of Hormuz traffic on Aug. 28, 2026. Marine Traffic map Transits through the Strait of Hormuz rose more than 30 percent last week, with the increase mostly led by tankers and gas carriers.
There were 114 transits between Aug. 17 and Sunday compared to Aug. 10-16, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Those numbers are likely to fluctuate as more dark transits are confirmed.
There were at least 42 westbound transits into the strait from Aug. 17 to Sunday, with 29 the week prior, according to Lloyd’s data.
The London-based maritime insurance agency tracked crude tankers from Sinokor, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Adnoc, as well as ships owned by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Despite the increase in transits, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains a shadow of what it was prior to the U.S.-Iran war, Lloyd’s List Editor-in-Chief Richard Meade said during a Thursday webinar.
“The industry is still operating under crisis conditions rather than anything approaching a return to normality,” Meade said.
The logistics model is changing as a result of the more than six months of tensions in the strait, Meade said. Despite President Donald Trump declaring the strait is open, Iran continues to fire at ships, while the U.S. continues to enforce its blockade.
There have been at least 19 seafarer deaths from both U.S. and Iranian attacks on commercial ships. On Thursday, MT Al Salam II (IMO: 9328168) was hit while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to an advisory from the Combined Maritime Force’s Joint Maritime Information Center.
On Monday, MT Metro Venetian (IMO: 1013391) was hit off the coast of Ash Shishah, Oman, according to the International Maritime Organization.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the Iranian group created to oversee the Iran corridor, published a list on Sunday of ships it says will face future restrictions, which could include seizure.
“Vessels that, from this date onward, engage in ship-to-ship transfers, transshipment, etc., with vessels on this list will themselves be added to this list. Additionally, vessels wishing to have their names removed from this list must submit their request along with the relevant explanation to info@pgsa.ir,” reads a social media post from the PGSA.
Oil and gas are being moved through a relay system, Meade said during the Thursday webinar, that involves shuttles, offshore ship-to-ship transfers and then a pool of vessels and crew that are willing to sail through the strait.
“In other words, the market has found a way to keep cargo flowing but has done so by concentrating that risk,” Meade said.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said Thursday that the U.S. has cleared all mines from the Strait of Hormuz’s international shipping lanes.
“We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Internationally recognized transit routes in the strait are free of Iranian sea mines, thanks to the incredible work of the U.S. military,” Cooper said.
The shipping industry remains skeptical that no mines remain, Meade wrote for Lloyd’s List.
The U.S. allegedly assisted nearly 1,500 commercial vessels over the past several months, Cooper said. However, he did not detail a specific period of time. Cooper also did not specify what commercial ships the U.S. assisted or their tonnage. Without the details, it is hard to compare the U.S. claims to data produced by shipping analysts like Lloyd’s List Intelligence or Windward.
Iranian-linked transits were up 18.5 percent last week compared to the previous one, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
United Against A Nuclear Iran (UANI) tracked 29.99 million barrels of Iranian exported oil in July. Charlie Brown, a senior advisor to UANI, posted on Friday that the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, sailed by Iranian-flagged cargo ships as it passed through the Strait of Malacca.
