Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam,Oman, 15 July 2026;
Credit: REUTERS/Stringer
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Fewer vessels travelled through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday 15 July 2026, the first day after the US reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports, with both countries escalating strikes across the Gulf, shipping data showed.
Seven vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, mostly via the Iranian route, down from thirteen the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Hostilities have intensified since Iran said late on Saturday 11 July 2026 that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Military operations are keeping ships from travelling through the waterway, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the war.
On Wednesday, four empty vessels entered the Gulf, including three small oil tankers and a dry bulk carrier transporting grain, the data showed. The three vessels that exited the strait on Wednesday carried liquefied petroleum gas, coal and fuel oil.
On Tuesday 14 July 2026, a Suezmax tanker carrying one million barrels of Saudi crude exited the strait with its transponder switched off, Kpler data showed.
There were no Very Large Crude Carrier or liquefied natural gas tankers passing through the strait on Wednesday.
