Since the beginning of March, despite Iran’s attacks on shipping lanes, almost a hundred ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz – the same amount as previously in a day, writes the BBC.
The volume of ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has decreased by 95% since Israel and the United States began attacks on Iran on the 28th of February. According to the Joint Maritime Information Center, before the war began, about 138 ships used the strait every day, transporting about a fifth of the world’s oil. Information from the shipping analytics company Kpler shows that since the beginning of March, 99 ships have passed through the strait, that is, an average of five to six ships per day.
Analysis by BBC Verify shows that about a third of these ships are related to Iran; among them are 14 ships sailing under the Iranian flag. Nine ships belong to companies whose addresses indicate belonging to China, while six had indicated India as their destination. Several unrelated ships, including those owned by Greek companies, have also docked in Iranian ports. Some of the ships that have successfully passed through the strait have taken longer than usual.
Tracking data from a Pakistani-flagged tanker shows it was heading close to Iran’s coast on the 15th of march, rather than following the usual shipping route in the middle of the strait. Bradley Martin, a senior research fellow at the RAND Corporation, a US defense think tank, said the ship was likely following instructions from Iran.
The ship’s route could indicate sea mines in the strait or an effort by Iran to make the ship more easily identifiable.
Michelle Wiese Bockmann, a spokeswoman for Windward Maritime Analytics, said that forcing ships to change course puts them in Iranian territorial waters and subject to Tehran’s shipping laws. She believes Iran has closed and controlled the strait, exploiting fears of attack and concerns about mines, forcing ships to avoid regular international shipping lanes.
Since the conflict began, BBC Verify has confirmed 20 attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Iran, not all of which have occurred in the immediate vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.
On the 11th of March, two shells hit a Thai-flagged bulk carrier as it attempted to pass through the strait. Three of the 23 crew members are missing and are believed to have been trapped in the engine room when the impact occurred. The ship’s owner told BBC Verify that the surviving crew had suffered a very traumatic experience.
The Greek Star Gwyneth and the US MT Safesea Vishnu were also attacked on the same day.
The owner of the MT Safesea Vishnu said the shipping lanes have turned into a war zone. One person died when the ship, anchored off the coast of Iraq, was attacked. All 28 crew members were forced to jump into the water to escape the burning ship, and the shipowner pointed out that these people are not soldiers, they are professionals who ensure the continuation of international trade.
A serious challenge is posed by the combination of threats – drones, speedboats, missiles, and, possibly, mines. Iran can also use the geography of the strait to its advantage – it is not only narrow and shallow, but also surrounded by mountainous coastlines, which allows for attacks from above, and those ships have less time to react.
Read also: The Strait of Hormuz challenge: restoring and protecting traffic