Mirian Gom 
DUBAI – Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply over the weekend after a vessel was struck while transiting the strategic waterway, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran raised fresh concerns over maritime security in the Gulf.
Data from maritime tracking firm Kpler showed that only 29 commodity vessels crossed the strait on Saturday and 12 on Sunday, a significant decline from the 70 crossings recorded last Wednesday following a temporary easing of tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The decline in Strait of Hormuz traffic comes after a memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran on June 15 had boosted shipping activity to its highest level since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict.
Maritime tracking data indicated that vessels continued to use multiple routes through the strait despite Iranian warnings against unapproved shipping lanes.
After a vessel was struck on Saturday morning, ships continued using a southern navigation corridor through Omani waters for several hours before traffic began to slow, according to data from MarineTraffic, a platform owned by Kpler.
The tracking service monitors vessels with active transponders, meaning additional ships may have crossed the waterway without transmitting signals.
More vessels entered the Gulf during the weekend than departed, reversing a pattern observed during the previous week when operators focused on evacuating seafarers from the region.
A United Nations-led operation to evacuate approximately 11,000 seafarers was suspended after another vessel was struck in the Gulf of Oman.
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Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
