Hormuz Traffic Drops to 12 Vessels as Saudi Exports Rebound
Visible ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz have fallen sharply, yet Saudi crude flows are rising to offset pipeline disruptions.
Key points
- Only 12 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, down from 35 the previous week.
- Saudi crude exports recovered to over 4 million barrels per day in September after August lows.
- Total Middle East oil flows averaged 17.1 million barrels per day, remaining near 2025 averages.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a trickle as geopolitical tensions in the Gulf remain unresolved. According to shipping data reported by Awani International, only a dozen commodity vessels transited the narrow waterway over the weekend, a significant decline from 35 vessels during the previous period.
The reduction in visible maritime activity comes against a backdrop of stalemate between the United States and Iran. While trackable vessel movements have dwindled, Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil via tankers that travel with their transponders switched off, complicating real-time monitoring of energy flows.
Shipping volumes drop sharply
Provisional data from analytics firm Kpler indicates a fragmented pattern of movement through the strait. On Sunday, four vessels exited the Gulf, comprising two tankers carrying refined products and two empty carriers for bulk goods and gas. Conversely, two smaller oil tankers entered the region.
The prior day saw a different composition of traffic, with five vessels leaving the Gulf to transport agricultural products, liquefied petroleum gas, and fertilizer. An empty very large gas carrier also entered the strait. This sporadic activity contrasts sharply with pre-conflict norms, when the waterway typically handled approximately 125 large commercial vessels per day.
Saudi crude flows recover
Despite the general decline in visible shipping, crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia have increased significantly. Attacks by the Houthis on the East-West pipeline have prompted the state energy firm to route more shipments through the Strait of Hormuz after halting some exports via the Yanbu port.
This strategic shift has allowed Saudi exports to recover to over four million barrels per day in September, rebounding from a low of 2.4 million barrels per day in August. The lowest point in August marked the lowest level recorded since at least 2013, according to Kpler.
Regional oil exports remain strong
JPMorgan analysts noted that Middle East oil flows remain surprisingly robust despite the infrastructure disruptions. Total oil flows averaged 17.1 million barrels per day over the past ten days, which is only 6.1 million barrels per day below the 2025 average. This resilience is attributed to the ability of producers to reroute shipments.
In the week ending September 13, 13 tankers exited the strait, mostly very large crude carriers transporting 34 million barrels of oil. Saudi Arabia accounted for half of this volume, while Iraq contributed 35 percent. Satellite data suggests Saudi oil moving through Hormuz averaged 2.9 million barrels per day over the last six days, a sharp increase from 700,000 barrels per day in August.
