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Hormuz Traffic Remains Subdued as Iran-Oman Work on Navigation Framework

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Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb remained well below the pre-war average on Tuesday, with security risks still weighing on shipping activity even as Iran and Oman agreed on a framework to restore safe navigation through the strategic waterway.

The latest data from Kpler show that five vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Aug. 25, down 28.6% from seven a day earlier. The data analytics firm said that all five vessels used Iran's unilateral transit scheme, with two vessels entering the Middle East Gulf and three exiting.

Kpler identified four of the vessels as shadow vessels and one as sanctioned, underscoring the limited nature of commercial traffic through the strait.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported one confirmed attack on Tuesday, while activity by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including attempted attacks and harassment, persisted.

The UKMTO said that the continued presence of such activity, along with the risk of drifting or uncharted mines, has kept the Hormuz a high-risk transit route. Mine danger areas remain active in and around the traffic separation scheme.

Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have agreed on a phased framework intended to facilitate the resumption of safe navigation through the Strait, according to state-owned news agencies.

The framework calls for a temporary joint navigational corridor through the Hormuz and a joint project to clear mines. Technical discussions will continue to establish a permanent navigation route and determine future arrangements for the administration of the waterway.

Iran and Oman also plan to discuss mechanisms for information-sharing and traffic management, as well as the provision of navigational and security services.

The consultations reflect efforts to establish a practical basis for restoring shipping through the strait following the recent war and its repercussions, the report said.

The UKMTO said that any improvement in navigational conditions could help restore commercial vessel movements, although the continued threat of attacks, harassment and mines means shipping companies are likely to remain cautious.

Meanwhile, traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait also declined on Aug. 25, with 36 confirmed crossings compared with 39 a day earlier, a 7.7% drop.

A total of 15 vessels entered the Red Sea and 21 exited. The total included seven sanctioned vessels, five shadow vessels, 24 vessels in other categories and two dark transits.

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