Strait of Hormuz Shipping Plunges to 17% of Normal Levels

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has collapsed to just 17 percent of its pre-conflict average over the past seven days, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British naval monitoring centre. The dramatic drop highlights how control of the strategic waterway has become a central focus of the ongoing war. The Strait is a narrow passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally travels. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said he plans to declare the area a critical security zone, though he gave no further details. The UKMTO’s figures, which track vessel movements, confirm that the disruption is already severe, with many shipping companies avoiding the route due to the risk of attack. The slowdown in traffic threatens global energy supplies and could push up oil prices if the situation does not improve. The Strait remains open, but at a level far below what is needed for normal trade.