25 Commercial Ships Pass Through Strait of Hormuz on First Day After Reopening, 5 Times Early-June Average

The number of commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz rose sharply after a ceasefire memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran took effect.

AFP reported on June 19 that 25 commercial vessels transited the strait on June 18, the day after it reopened, citing shipping data firm AXSMarine.

AXSMarine said that was the highest daily total since April 18. It was also more than five times the average daily traffic during the first 10 days of June.

The firm added that the actual number may have been higher because some ships are believed to have switched off their automatic identification systems, or AIS, while passing through the waterway.

AXSMarine data show average daily traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has totaled just 7.6 vessels since early March. That compares with about 120 ships a day before the war broke out, according to shipping publication Lloyd's List.

Traffic through the strait plunged after Iran effectively blockaded the passage following the outbreak of war on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched airstrikes. Iran later reopened the strait temporarily, leading to another brief spike in crossings on April 18.

Separately, the International Maritime Organization said more than 500 vessels remain stranded in the Gulf region, with about 11,000 seafarers on board. Across the wider region, about 20,000 crew members are estimated to have been affected by the war.

Shin Yong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter, yonghyun@hankyung.com