Strait of hormuz: Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the week was below the 10-day average. According to National Iraqi News Agency, preliminary ship tracking data released on Monday indicated a significant drop in the number of cargo vessels transiting the strategic waterway. The number of vessels decreased to single digits daily, which is notably lower than the 10-day average of 14 vessels.

Four vessels were reported to have departed the Gulf via the strait. These included a Handy Size vessel without cargo, another Handy Size vessel carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a Supramax vessel transporting fertilizer, and a Suezmax vessel carrying either crude oil or condensate.

The data also highlighted that 10 vessels entered the Gulf, comprising a small bulk carrier, a Handy Max vessel loaded with grain, a Panamax vessel transporting minerals, and a Supramax vessel carrying dry bulk cargo. Importantly, the data does not account for vessels that may have traversed the strait with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders switched off, a tactic often used to avoid detection.

Additionally, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported early Sunday that a ship was struck by an unidentified projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.