Strait of Hormuz remains largely deserted amid escalating US-Iran tensions

Kathmandu. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the most sensitive maritime routes in West Asia, has remained almost deserted for the third consecutive day. 

This situation has arisen due to the escalating dispute between Iran and the United States regarding vessel transit. According to the maritime tracking platform MarineTraffic, only a few ships have crossed the waterway as of Monday.

While three ships were observed entering the Gulf region in the last few hours, two of those tankers were reported to be empty. Similarly, an oil-laden tanker was seen exiting the strait on Monday morning.

“Nova Crest,” a vessel operated by a Turkish firm, had departed an Iraqi port earlier this month. The ship had previously been sanctioned by the UK and the European Union over allegations of transporting Russian oil.

Tensions intensified on Saturday after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the strait, forcing 13 vessels to alter their routes. 

This data was provided by the maritime intelligence firm Windward. Reports emerged that same day of gunfire directed at a container ship, with two other vessels also reporting similar incidents. Consequently, no tankers were observed crossing the waterway on Sunday.

However, analysts note that the actual number may vary as not all vessels disclose their locations. Maritime security consultancy Ambrey issued a warning on Monday, advising vessels to cancel their journeys and turn back if threatened via radio. Meanwhile, some commercial vessels have reported receiving instructions from the IRGC Navy to “not proceed” further. Report