Commercial vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has rapidly recovered after the end of the US/Israel-Iran war. On June 24, a daily traffic of 70 ships crossing the strait marked the highest since February 28.
Before the war, an average of 130 ships passed through the strait daily. On February 28, when the war began, that number fell to 78, and in the following days it dropped to 90 percent below the pre-war level.
Recovery After the Agreement
With a 14-article agreement reached between the US and Iran on June 14 and signed on June 18, vessel movement in the strait began to increase significantly. According to data from the data analytics firm Kpler, daily ship crossings reached 70 as of June 24, the highest level seen since the start of the war. Ship traffic increased by more than 100 percent compared to the previous day.
Super tankers, predominantly departing from ports in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran and carrying at least 11 million barrels of crude oil, were among the ships that passed through the strait on June 24.
First Westbound Shipment to Greece
The tanker Prudent Warrior, flying the Greek flag and departing from the United Arab Emirates, is heading toward Greece with approximately one million barrels of crude oil. While most ships using the Strait of Hormuz during the war headed to Asia and some African countries, this shipment was the first oil delivery to a Western country since the war.
Additionally, two tankers carrying over 1.8 million barrels of dirty petroleum products from the UAE, and another tanker loaded with 500,000 barrels of clean petroleum products from Kuwait, also passed through the strait on the same day.
Other Cargo Ships Also Passed
On June 24, not only oil tankers but also ships carrying dry cargo, LPG, grain, and fertilizers passed through the strait.
Before the war, nearly 20 million barrels of oil were shipped through the Strait of Hormuz daily — approximately 15 million barrels of crude oil and 5 million barrels of petroleum products. Whether commercial activity in the region returns to normal will depend on the permanence of the ceasefire.
