Vessels trickle through Strait of Hormuz as Mideast tension persists

AI Summary

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has sharply declined amid persistent tension between the US and Iran, with vessel traffic down from 35 to about a dozen over the weekend. The strait remains a critical chokepoint, handling approximately a fifth of global oil and LNG exports.

By Florence Tan SINGAPORE, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A dozen commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on the weekend, down from 35 the prior weekend, shipping data showed on Monday, as tension in the Gulf persisted with the US and Iran in stalemate. Visible traffic through the strait, the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has dwindled to a trickle, however Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil on tankers travelling with their transponders off.