/Agencia Reuters
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to 33 vessels between Monday, August 3, and Thursday, August 6, data showed, compared with the 50 recorded in the same period the previous week.
In parallel, markets are watching talks between Iran and Oman for signs of progress toward the reopening of this key waterway.
Specifically, 4 vessels transited the strait on Thursday, August 6, including a very large crude carrier (VLCC), the Nissos Kea, carrying about 2 million barrels of Basra crude loaded in Iraq, according to Kpler data. Of the rest, two were loaded with liquefied petroleum gas and one was a smaller bulk carrier.
Only six crude oil tankers have left the strait this week, Kpler data showed. A total of 21 vessels have entered the waterway so far this week, mostly via the Iranian route.
Several Chinese and Indian refiners have sought units this week to enter the strait and load crude at the Basra oil terminal in Iraq, attracted by substantial discounts, shipping sources said.
However, no vessel has been chartered so far because shipowners are wary of entering the waterway, they added.
Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (Somo) offered its customers discounts close to $30 per barrel for Basra Heavy and Basra Medium crude scheduled for August loading.
Generally, about 130 or 140 vessels transited the strait before Iran closed the waterway following the start of the war between the United States and Israel on February 28.
A proposed agreement between Iran and Oman to grant Tehran control over vessels entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz is not easy to implement due to U.S. sanctions and restrictive insurance clauses on payments, industry sources said.
On Thursday, 26 vessels transited the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, compared with 19 the previous day, Kpler data showed. LSEG counted 28 vessels using a different tracking system and methodology.
