The number of vessels en route through the Strait of Hormuz has been reduced to a minimum.

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian and Oman Gulfs, is a key channel for global oil transportation. About 20% of the world's volume is transported through it every day. It is currently blocked due to military operations in the region. The movement of vessels is organized along two main corridors - along the coast of Iran and along the coast of Oman.
Ship traffic along the Omani coast has dropped to a minimum after a series of unexpected U-turns. At least eight vessels, including oil tankers, bulk carriers and car carriers, abruptly changed course. Four of them then headed along the Iranian corridor and left the strait. On Saturday, July 4, 19 vessels crossed the strait in both directions, but only one openly declared passage along the Oman route, on July 3, only 13 vessels used this route, despite the fact that the volume of Iranian oil currently in the open sea is estimated at 58-68 million barrels. At the same time, more than 90% of shipments do not have a confirmed destination. And this is despite the fact that from June 23 to 24, according to the US Department of Energy, 72 ships carrying about 20 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite all the difficulties and the dangerous situation in the strait, four supertankers with Saudi oil crossed the Strait of Hormuz, which became the largest transit of this fuel through the waterway since the beginning of the military conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran in February 2026.
According to the services, the supertankers of the Saudi company Bahri entered the Gulf of Oman on July 2, they are transporting 8 million barrels of oil from the port of Ras Tannura on the Persian Gulf coast. This fact may indicate an increase in Saudi Arabia's exports after the agreement reached in June between the United States and Iran on the resumption of ship transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, according to experts, it may take months to return to the usual traffic volumes, including due to the need to clear the water area. According to the Financial Times, ships can only follow two routes: near the Iranian island of Larak and along the coast of Oman. Up to 80 sea mines can remain in the water area of the strait. The head of the Japanese shipping company NYK Line, T. Soga, warned that even with unhindered passage, the volume of traffic is likely to be less than half of the usual level within a few months.