Traffic in Strait of Hormuz sees slight increase as oil supertankers navigate waterway despite ongoing tensions
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz increased slightly this week as a COSCO oil products tanker crossed the waterway on Wednesday.This followed the transit of two non-Iranian crude supertankers on Tuesday, marking the first significant movement of roughly four million barrels of unsanctioned crude in a week.
Strait shipping updates
The two supertankers included the Singapore-linked Eagle Veracruz and the Greek-owned Nissos Keros, transporting crude from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Five vessels crossed the strait in both directions on Tuesday, as reported by Bloomberg.
Despite the recent uptick, daily transits remain far below pre-war levels, averaging about 11 vessels per day compared to roughly 125 to 140 before the conflict.
Since the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran began on February 28, traffic has dropped by over 95 percent.
Ship brokers warn that restoring normal shipping levels will require security guarantees, mine clearance, and a new war-risk insurance framework.
War-risk premiums have increased significantly, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars per transit for large tankers.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he spoke with Oman’s ambassador, who he says assured him that there are no plans to toll the Strait of Hormuz https://t.co/dMON8yw4E6 pic.twitter.com/vLx1SHSiip
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 28, 2026
Shipping crisis continues
An estimated 20,000 seafarers are currently stranded aboard about 2,000 vessels in the Persian Gulf, according to the International Maritime Organization and the United Nations.
The situation is described as unprecedented since World War II.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported coordinating 26 vessel transits in one day on May 20, with sporadic supertanker movements observed.
Temporary openings, like the brief one on April 21, have not signalled a lasting return to normalcy.
A ceasefire that started on April 8 has done little to change shipping patterns, which remain erratic and uncertain.
The global oil market’s dependency on the strait remains clear, as it once facilitated around 20 percent of the world’s seaborne energy supply.
