Shipping activity through the stategically important Strait of Hormuz declined on Wednesday, with preliminary ship-tracking data recording seven vessel transits, down from 12 the previous day.
The latest figure also remained well below the 10-day average of 14 vessels, pointing to a continued slowdown in maritime traffic through one of the world's most important energy corridors.
According to the data, four vessels exited the strait while three entered. However, the figures may not capture the full extent of shipping activity because some vessels can travel through the waterway with their transponders switched off. Such ships are not included in the tracking count.
Among the vessels leaving the strait was the very large crude carrier Finland Prosperity, which was carrying nearly two million barrels of crude oil. Its movement highlights the continued passage of major oil shipments through the waterway despite the lower overall number of transits.
No liquefied natural gas tankers were recorded among the vessels exiting the strait on Wednesday.
The other three outbound vessels comprised two dry bulk carriers and a short-range tanker carrying so-called dirty petroleum products, a category that generally includes fuels such as fuel oil and other heavier refined petroleum products.
On the inbound side, the three vessels consisted of a dry bulk carrier, a short-range tanker and a medium-range tanker.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial maritime chokepoint for global energy supplies, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. Any sustained reduction in traffic through the passage can attract close attention from energy markets, shipping companies and governments because of the volume of oil and other commodities normally transported through the region.
The latest figures therefore provide a snapshot of maritime activity at a time when shipping movements in and around the region are being closely monitored.
Bab el-Mandeb traffic remains near normal
Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another critical maritime passage, was comparatively stable on Wednesday.
Around 28 commodity ships transited the waterway, broadly in line with its 10-day average of 27 vessels. Of that total, 16 ships entered the strait while 12 exited.
The contrast between the two waterways suggests that shipping activity has not declined uniformly across the region. While traffic through Hormuz fell below its recent average, movements through Bab el-Mandeb remained close to normal levels.
Ship-tracking figures are preliminary and can change as additional information becomes available. The presence of vessels operating with their tracking systems disabled also means that recorded movements may not represent the complete volume of maritime traffic through either waterway.