Strait of Hormuz tanker traffic rebounds to wartime average as Middle East tensions persist

May 18 — Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz rebounded last week as the Middle East conflict continued, according to AFP citing Kpler vessel-tracking data. A total of 55 cargo ships transited the strait, up from 19 the prior week, which marked the lowest level since the conflict began. Since March 2026, weekly traffic has averaged about 55 commercial vessels, placing last week's throughput back in the range seen during the war. Roughly half of the ships were tankers. The flow included three very large crude carriers bound for China, Oman and Japan. Kpler data suggest the recovery remains partial, with overall volumes still below pre-conflict levels. The Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint carrying about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has faced ongoing disruption from geopolitical tensions and sanctions. The report added that Iran has tightened oversight of transit arrangements and introduced fees and restrictions on some shipping, keeping the waterway central to U.S.-Iran talks and regional security concerns.