Traffic through Strait of Hormuz thin

CXL_LAB said on May 20 that shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained thin as Iranian checkpoints and inspections continued in the waterway. Independent reporting and maritime advisories reviewed on May 22 support the picture of reduced commercial movement, heavier Iranian control and a security environment that shipping companies still describe as highly restrictive. Public vessel-tracking snapshots show some ships are moving, but at volumes far below normal pre-crisis levels. The available data also suggest that traffic is uneven, with selected vessels clearing the strait while others wait, reroute or move under tighter scrutiny. ### How thin is traffic, based on the public data? Windward’s daily intelligence page said 13 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on May 20, with nine inbound and four outbound. That tally included three inbound ships making dark crossings with their AIS transponders not continuously visible, a sign that some operators are still trying to reduce exposure or obscure movements in the corridor. (insurancejournal.com) USNI News reported on May 8 that commercial shipping traffic had come to “an almost standstill” as operators tried to interpret competing U.S. and Iranian actions in and around the strait. A separate USNI report on May 1 said transits had dropped to their lowest level since the opening days of the U.S.-Israel offensive against Iran, citing merchant shipping data. (insights.windward.ai) Other open-source trackers claim daily transits have fallen from pre-crisis levels above 100 ships to single digits or low double digits, but those dashboards are not official and use differing methodologies. The most solid takeaway from the public record is narrower: traffic has resumed in limited windows, but volumes remain well below normal. ### What are the Iranian “checkpoints” and inspections people are talking about? (news.usni.org) Reuters reported on May 20 that Iran had built a multi-layered clearance system for ships moving through Hormuz, involving route management, government vetting, diplomatic arrangements and, in some cases, fees for safe passage. The report said Iran was exercising de facto control over traffic through military checkpoints and inspections, citing 20 sources including shipping officials and regional officials. (hormuzmonitor.com) The clearest published example in that report was the Greek-managed tanker Agios Fanourios I. Reuters said the vessel, carrying Iraqi crude to Vietnam, left after a direct arrangement overseen by Iraq’s prime minister, passed island checkpoints, was stopped by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboats near Hormuz Island for inspection, and took two days to complete a passage that would usually take about five hours. (insurancejournal.com) USNI News separately reported that Iran had announced a “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” to approve transits and collect tolls for ships using Tehran’s designated routes. That account matches the broader picture of passage being conditioned on Iranian approval rather than routine commercial navigation. (insurancejournal.com) ### Are shipping warnings still in place for mariners? UKMTO said in a May 14 incident summary that it had received 49 reports affecting vessels in and around the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman since Feb. 28. Those reports included 27 attacks, 20 suspicious activity cases and two hijacks. JMIC said in Advisory Note 004-26 on May 4 that the maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remained “CRITICAL” because of ongoing regional military operations. (news.usni.org) The advisory warned mariners to expect increased naval presence, enhanced force-protection measures, VHF hailing and congestion near anchorage areas. (ukmto.org) UN News reported on May 4 that U.N. maritime officials were urging vessels to exercise “maximum caution” amid conflicting claims over strikes and confrontations in the strait. That warning has not been overtaken by evidence of a broad return to normal traffic. ### Why are some ships still moving if traffic is thin? Reuters reported on May 20 that three supertankers were crossing Hormuz carrying about 6 million barrels of crude bound for Asia after waiting in the Gulf for more than two months. (ukmto.org) Windward also recorded two Chinese-controlled VLCCs clearing Hormuz outbound on May 20 while transmitting AIS. (news.un.org) That pattern suggests access is selective rather than fully shut. Some tankers appear to be moving after state-to-state arrangements, route approvals or extended delays, while the wider commercial market remains constrained by military risk, insurance exposure and uncertainty over enforcement. That inference is supported by Reuters’ reporting on vetting and by JMIC and UKMTO advisories, which continue to warn of a critical threat environment. (msn.com) ### What should readers watch next? May 22 is the key date for the latest public snapshots, because Windward’s May 21 bulletin uses data through May 20 and UKMTO’s most recent incident summary runs through May 14. The next useful markers will be updated transit counts, any new UKMTO or JMIC advisories, and further named vessel passages that show whether clearances are broadening or staying selective. (insights.windward.ai) (insurancejournal.com)