OMM Newsroom
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained about 70% below pre-conflict levels as attacks on commercial vessels continued, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Transits decline as attacks continue
In its weekly overview, UKMTO reported 125 outbound and 129 inbound transits over the past seven days.
The totals were down from 129 outbound and 146 inbound transits recorded in the previous week.
UKMTO reported 12 attacks on vessels during the week: 10 in the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Gulf and one in the Gulf of Oman. Six vessels continued their journeys or reached port, one was lost, two were disabled or not under command, and the outcomes for three remained unconfirmed.
Container ship sinks after projectile strike
A container ship was struck by an unidentified projectile near Ras Shaykh Masud on Oct. 13, UKMTO said. The vessel caught fire and sank the following day.
All crew members were evacuated, the agency said.
UKMTO warned that it was struggling to establish the actual number of attacks because most targeted vessels declined to report incidents. The agency said it had recorded 84 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began in late February.
The reported attacks came amid continued tensions between Iran and the US over navigation through the strait. The waterway is a major route for global energy and commodity shipments and remains a key issue in negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The conflict began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, followed by a ceasefire in April. Clashes between Washington and Tehran later resumed as negotiations stalled, although the two sides signed a framework agreement in June.
