Reuters: Ship Transits Through the Strait of Hormuz Fall to Their Lowest in Over Two Months

Reuters reported on Thursday, October 8, 2026 (16 Mehr 1405), citing shipping data, that the number of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest in more than two months. According to data from the analytics firm Kpler, only seven cargo-carrying ships crossed the strait on Tuesday, October 6 (14 Mehr), the lowest count since July 23. The figure edged up to 10 on Wednesday but remained far below the more than 20 ships a day recorded on Sunday and Monday. The count excludes ships that have switched off their AIS transponders.

Kpler analysts wrote that the volume of crude passing through the strait is down 27 percent from the wartime peak of the previous week, with most of the drop tied to ship-to-ship transfers in the Sea of Oman. Reuters linked the decline to Iran's warnings about transits along illegal routes and said attacks on ships have reached their highest level since the US and Israeli conflict with Iran began.

The wider picture is not uniform: Al Jazeera, citing Kpler data, reports that Gulf oil exports excluding Iran recovered to more than 81 percent of pre-war levels in September, and that about 40 percent of the region's oil exports now bypass Hormuz. Brent rose above $105 on Thursday.