Strait of Hormuz Shipping Grinds to Near Halt as Just 13 Tankers Cross Versus 33 Daily Average

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit routes, ground to a near halt after the US and Iran traded strikes for a second straight day on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. According to ship-tracking data cited in news reports, only 13 tankers crossed the strait on Wednesday, compared with an average of 33 per day over the previous week. Reports say the US-backed Omani corridor, set up for safer tanker passage, was effectively empty of observable traffic on Thursday, July 9.

Qatar separately said it had paused efforts to revive production at the world's largest liquefied natural gas facility due to concerns over the risks of transiting the strait. Reports indicate shipowners are increasingly using alternate routes and switching off tracking systems to reduce risk. The developments have coincided with a rising risk premium in global oil and gold markets.