Commodity vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to three ships on Wednesday, down from 12 the previous day and below the 10-day average of about 17, as Gulf conflict intensifies.

Preliminary ship-tracking data showed the figures excluded vessels that may have transited the waterway with their Automatic Identification System transponders switched off to avoid detection, adding another layer of uncertainty to the traffic count.

According to Kpler shipping data, an empty Supramax dry bulk vessel entered the strait through the Iranian route, while an empty petroleum product tanker entered through a dark route.

A Panamax tanker exited the waterway using a dark route, the data showed.

Vessel traffic declined as the Gulf conflict intensified, with Saudi Arabian warplanes attacking Yemen and Houthi fighters launching drones and missiles at Saudi cities, underscoring the pressure on shipping routes.

The Iran-backed Houthis’ advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, attacks on Saudi Arabia and damage to the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline have increased risks to global oil supplies, helping explain the broader shipping disruption.

Meanwhile, vessel crossings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea fell to 21 on Wednesday, down from 24 the day before.

(Reuters/NAN)