Shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has collapsed amid rising tensions in the region, with daily transits falling by more than 90 percent to fewer than 10 vessels, maritime security officials say.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy-led monitoring body, recorded over 40 incidents involving merchant ships between March 1 and April 27. The incidents included direct attacks, vessel damage, harassment and near-misses; UKMTO said at least 26 of those involved direct attacks on merchant vessels. Some crews were hit or affected by collateral damage such as shrapnel from intercepted drones, and several vessels were forced to turn back.
The downturn follows an escalation of hostilities that intensified in late February after US and Israeli strikes in the region and subsequent retaliatory actions by Iran. Before the recent escalation, roughly 130 ships transited the strait each day. The sharp reduction has effectively brought one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints close to a standstill.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key arteries for global energy shipments, and the disruptions are rippling through trade and supply chains amid the confrontations between Washington and Tehran. UKMTO officials estimate some 850 to 870 large merchant vessels are currently stranded inside the Gulf, unable to exit safely because of the security risks in the narrow waterway.
“Our first concern is the safety and security of seafarers. There are around 20,000 sailors on ships going nowhere. Crew changes are not happening, and supplies are becoming strained,” said Commander Jo Black, Head of Operations at UKMTO. She warned of growing mental-health pressures on crew if the situation persists.
Established after the 9/11 attacks and supported by the Royal Navy, UKMTO acts as a maritime security information hub for the Red Sea, Gulf region and northern Indian Ocean. The centre uses AIS tracking, voluntary vessel reports and open-source intelligence and has been central during earlier crises such as Somali piracy and recent threats in the Red Sea.
Officials cautioned that prolonged disruption in the Gulf could widen the impact on global trade routes and energy markets, and could even increase pressures elsewhere, including a possible resurgence of piracy off Somalia. UKMTO said it will continue to issue real-time advisories and warnings to help protect merchant shipping during what it described as one of the most volatile periods in recent years for international shipping lanes.
