Hormuz Strait Faces Unprecedented Shipping Freeze
The strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy flows, has nearly ground to a halt. Escalating regional tensions have triggered a sharp decline in maritime traffic. AIS tracking reveals no tankers passed through in the last 24 hours, with only two general cargo vessels managing the crossing.
A Sanctioned Vessel's Covert Journey
Notably, the LNG carrier Danuta I, under U.S. sanctions for transporting Iranian liquefied petroleum gas, slipped through the strait early Friday. After loading in the Persian Gulf, the vessel deliberately disrupted or disabled its AIS signal multiple times—a clear tactic to obscure its movements.
- Owned by Panama-registered Ithaki Maritime and Trading, a firm with minimal public footprint
- Analysts link the operator to networks known as the 'shadow fleet'
- Its successful transit may encourage similar high-risk maneuvers by other sanctioned carriers
Global Energy Supply Chains Under Strain
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) in Bahrain reports dozens of oil and gas tankers remain trapped in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach Asian and European markets. This stagnation threatens energy security and could fuel price volatility.
With frequent maritime attacks in the area and insurers scaling back war risk coverage, commercial operators face mounting pressure. The combination of danger and rising costs has led most shipping firms to avoid the route altogether—for now.