Which Cargo Ships Are Passing Through the Strait of Hormuz?

News Desk

Islamabad: Cargo ships and tankers have been severely affected in the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Between March 1 and March 23, only 144 crossings were recorded, representing a 95% drop from normal traffic levels.

Of these crossings, 91 were made by oil and gas tankers, more than half of which were fully loaded, with most ships sailing east. According to the shipping intelligence journal Lloyd’s List, traffic through the strait remains heavily disrupted.

On Monday, two Indian-flagged tankers and a China-bound vessel were among the latest crossings. The Panama-flagged Bright Gold is scheduled to arrive in China on April 13 carrying approximately 40,000 tonnes of methanol, while the Chinese-owned container ship New Voyager was granted permission to pass through the waterway after paying Iranian authorities.

Monday’s crossings used a northern route approved by Tehran around Lark Island off the Iranian coast, with more than 20 ships passing through. Most were Greek-owned, but some were Indian, Pakistani, and Syrian-owned.

According to Lloyd’s List analyst Bridget Deacon, the largest share of ships transiting the strait were Iranian-owned or flagged, followed by Greek and Chinese vessels. More than 40% of the ships are subject to post-war sanctions imposed by the US, EU, or UK.

JPMorgan analysts reported that about 1.3 million barrels of Iranian oil were being shipped daily through the strait in early March, with the majority of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) bound for Asia, particularly China.

Meanwhile, LNG cargoes originally destined for Europe were diverted to Asia.

In peacetime, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passes through the Strait of Hormuz, but current tensions and Iranian control have severely disrupted shipping activity, affecting global markets and supply chains.