Oil and gas shipping through the Strait of Hormuz showed signs of recovery on Sunday, a day after several vessels performed unexplained U-turns and detours in the vital energy corridor. Six oil and gas freighters were observed navigating a route close to Oman's coast, while two small tankers exited the Persian Gulf by sailing closer to Iran, according to Bloomberg tracking data.
Observable Traffic Patterns
Of the observable vessels, six took the Omani coastal route, which is part of a U.S.-protected corridor. Four others sailed northward toward the Iranian route and exited the waterway. However, many ships are known to sail with their transponders off to avoid digital detection, making actual traffic levels uncertain. Western navies have stated that while traffic continues, the threat risk remains "substantial" and that the center of the strait has been mined.
U-Turns and Fresh Attempts
Over Friday and Saturday, at least eight vessels were seen making U-turns as they sailed along the Omani route. Four of those subsequently went on to sail northward toward the Iranian route and exited the strait. On Sunday, at least one fuel tanker that had U-turned appeared to be making a fresh attempt to transit, sailing past the tip of Oman's Musandam peninsula. Another products tanker transited along the same route earlier, openly signalling its intentions, and is now broadcasting a location in the Gulf of Oman.
Dark Crossings and Harassment
Others are opting to cross in the dark, appearing once clear of the waterway. One Suezmax crude carrier appeared in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday after last broadcasting from within the Persian Gulf on Saturday. There was no immediate explanation for the ships that turned back, though Iran has repeatedly said that vessels should only transit the strait through the route designated by the Islamic Republic. Naval liaison groups have yet to comment, but the Joint Maritime Intelligence Center repeated on Sunday that Iranian forces continue to harass shipping.
Traffic Counts and Market Impact
On Saturday, 19 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz in either direction, but only one openly signalled its inbound transit along the Omani coast, according to Kpler data. That compares with Friday's count of 13 along the route. These tallies include only observed transits, and figures may change as more dark crossings are verified. For much of the war, several ships attempting to leave the Persian Gulf have reported warnings by Iranian forces over radio communications, saying they should not proceed without Tehran's permission. Iran has fired on some vessels that sailed on. Tanker companies have been struggling with the stop-start reopening of Hormuz, and their willingness to take on the risk is crucial for normalizing the oil market, still recovering from a historic four-month crisis.
