Oil & Energy
Hormuz Shipping Near Standstill as Oil Tops $100/bbl, Bloomberg Analysis Says
Dual blockades have halted most Hormuz shipping, leaving only a few Iran-linked vessels moving as oil trades above $100 per barrel, according to a Bloomberg analysis on Monday.Iranian and US blockades have shut the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the key global energy corridor largely inactive, the analysis said.Only a small number of vessels, mainly tied to Iran, are transiting as most operators avoid the route after last week's escalation, according to the analysis.Iranian gunboats fired on ships while US forces seized two oil tankers last week, sharply increasing risks and reducing traffic through the strait, the analysis said.Three Iran-linked vessels moved out of the Persian Gulf through the strait Monday morning, with no ships entering during the same period, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.Two bulk carriers and one liquefied petroleum gas tanker linked to Tehran exited the Gulf on Monday, extending a period of limited shipping activity, the analysis said.Only a handful of vessels departed Sunday, including an Iran-linked fuel tanker, a bulk carrier, and two regional cargo ships, while a China-linked fuel tanker entered the Gulf, the analysis added.Several Iran-linked vessels remained near the Gulf of Oman after exiting, leaving uncertainty about whether they paused for regional stops or were delayed by the US naval blockade, the analysis said.Ships continuing transit used a narrow northern corridor near Larak and Qeshm islands, a route approved by Iranian authorities for limited passage.The US blockade is prompting vessels to switch off tracking signals, reducing visibility and making it harder to measure actual traffic volumes, according to the analysis.Limited tracking data may lead to higher reported ship numbers later when vessels reappear outside risky areas, showing gaps in real-time monitoring, the analysis noted.Even before recent restrictions, Iran-linked vessels often disabled tracking near Hormuz and reactivated signals near the Strait of Malacca about 13 days from Kharg Island, the analysis said.