Singapore, Aug. 3 (SANA) Commercial shipping through key Middle East waterways slowed over the weekend as new security incidents, military enforcement measures and heightened regional tensions raised concerns over global energy supplies and trade.
Ship-tracking data from Kpler showed that two Saudi crude oil tankers transited the Bab al-Mandeb Strait early this week, even as overall vessel traffic declined through both the Bab al-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz.
According to Reuters, the tanker Lesvos, carrying about 1 million barrels of Saudi crude, and the very large crude carrier Desh Vaibhav, loaded with 2 million barrels, exited the Red Sea after switching off their transmitters and Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals.
Kpler data showed commodity vessel traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait fell to 18 ships on Sunday, down from 27 on Saturday. Transit through the Strait of Hormuz also declined, with 10 vessels recorded on Saturday compared with 19 on Friday, the highest daily figure since mid-July.
The decline in shipping activity comes amid continued attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf region, disrupting two of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
Separately, the U.S. military said Sunday it had redirected 35 commercial vessels as part of maritime enforcement measures targeting Iran.
In a post on X, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that, as of Aug. 2, U.S. forces had redirected 35 commercial ships, disabled two vessels and boarded two others.
Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported a new maritime incident involving an oil tanker off the coast of Oman.
According to UKMTO, the incident occurred about 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, where the vessel’s master reported hearing an explosion near the tanker.
The agency said the vessel and its crew were safe and that authorities had launched an investigation. It also advised ships transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.
On Saturday, UKMTO reported that another oil tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile off the coast of Oman, damaging its engine room and leaving the vessel disabled.
The latest developments underscore growing international concern over the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, two of the world’s most critical maritime corridors for energy supplies and global trade.
N.J/ABD
