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Hormuz Vessel Traffic Falls for 2nd Day as Shipping Remains Cautious, Kpler Says

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Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains muted for a second consecutive day as ship operators maintain a wide berth amid the lingering threat of regional escalation, Kpler strategists said on Friday.

The latest data from Kpler showed 22 confirmed vessel crossings on July 9, down from 30 the previous day, indicating that shipping companies remain reluctant to return to normal operating patterns following recent security incidents in the region.

Traffic remained tilted toward vessels using the Iranian side of the waterway, while just one confirmed transit used the Omani route, suggesting operators continue to avoid areas where recent security risks have been concentrated.

Kpler said that commercial shipping accounted for slightly more than half of the confirmed crossings, with non-commercial movements making up the remainder.

"Activity remained largely low risk, with commercial traffic only marginally exceeding non commercial movements," Kpler said.

Though no new physical attacks on shipping have been reported since July 7, Kpler said confidence in the security environment remains fragile following renewed military strikes between the US and Iran.

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