Shafaq News- Hormuz

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen by nearly 90% from levels seen before the US-Iran war, sharply disrupting traffic through one of the world’s most important energy routes.

Thirteen vessels crossed the maritime gateway on Saturday and four on Sunday, compared with 16 on Friday, according to data from shipping intelligence firm Kpler.

Figures from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) showed that 89 vessels exited the Strait and 103 entered during the week ending Aug. 21.

The slowdown has also affected vessels linked to Iraq. An empty very large crude carrier bound for Iraq entered the Gulf on Friday, while separate shipping data showed a tanker entering the Red Sea on Saturday carrying Iraqi crude from Basra.

The disruption has sharply reduced Iraq’s southern crude exports. Shipments averaged about 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in July, up from roughly 500,000 bpd in June and 100,000 bpd in May, but remained well below pre-disruption Basrah exports of more than 3.3 million bpd.

With shipments still constrained, Baghdad is pursuing alternative export routes through Turkiye, Syria and Jordan to reduce its dependence on Hormuz. A proposed pipeline to Syria’s Baniyas port could take about four years to build and cost at least $15 billion.

Read more: No exit but Hormuz: Iraq's economic vulnerability exposed