Strait of Hormuz shipping slows as tanker bonuses surge amid Iran war

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level since July, according to shipping data cited in the supplied material, even as some tanker captains are being offered unusually large bonuses to take the route. The development points to a widening gap between the strategic importance of the waterway and the willingness of crews to transit it under current conditions. It also suggests that the maritime disruption around the Gulf is now affecting both traffic patterns and labour costs.

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The supplied material says some captains are earning base salaries of as much as $100,000, plus a $50,000 bonus per voyage through the strait. It adds that only seven detectable vessels passed through the waterway in the previous week, the lowest figure since 23 July. Because many smaller shuttle boats are switching off transponders to avoid detection, the true level of traffic is harder to measure, but the available data still indicates a marked slowdown.

The same reporting says about 40% of regional exports are now moving via Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline or through ship-to-ship transfers by smaller boats. That shift matters because it shows how operators are adapting to the security risk by bypassing normal transits where possible. It also helps explain why oil exports from the Middle East have remained resilient even as attacks on vessels in and around the strait continue.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, linking Gulf producers to markets in Asia and beyond. Before the war between the United States and Israel and Iran began in late February, the strait typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels a day and carried around 20% of global crude and liquefied natural gas supplies. Any sustained disruption therefore has implications not only for regional security, but also for freight rates, insurance costs and the stability of energy flows.

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The supplied material says attacks on vessels in the strait have continued in the past week, including a report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency of casualties after multiple projectiles struck a vessel off Qatar's northern coast. It also says Iran has effectively closed the strait to vessels without its express permission, while the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and escorted some ships through the area. Those measures underline how the maritime dispute has become part of the wider conflict.

The latest figures also sit alongside evidence that oil exports from the wider Middle East have remained close to, or above, pre-war levels. According to the supplied material, at least 16.5 million barrels left the region last month, matching the pre-war average excluding Iran, which is under blockade. That resilience suggests producers and shippers are finding ways to keep cargo moving, but often at higher operational risk and cost.

What remains unclear is how long shipping companies will continue to pay such large bonuses, whether the lower vessel count reflects a temporary dip or a longer-term shift, and how much of the traffic is being hidden from tracking systems. It is also not yet clear whether the recent attacks will lead to further route changes, tighter insurance terms or additional military responses. The next developments to watch are any new official statements on security in the strait, further vessel-traffic data, and whether the number of detectable transits falls again.

Oman has evacuated injured crew members from the Panamanian-flagged tanker On Peace after the vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire on board. The attack took place about 9 nautical miles, or 17km, off the Omani port city of Limah, according to the Omani Ministry of Defence. India said 11 of the 12 injured crew members were Indian nationals.

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The Omani air force evacuated 10 crew members and took them to Khasab hospital in Musandam governorate for treatment, the ministry said in a statement posted on X. India's Ministry of External Affairs said at least 12 of the ship's 19 crew members were injured when a projectile hit the vessel as it transited the strait. It also said 17 of the 19 crew members were Indian nationals, underlining the scale of the impact on Indian seafarers.

The incident adds to a series of attacks on shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints. The supplied material says at least seven other tanker incidents were reported in the past week, and that security in the waterway has continued to deteriorate amid the wider conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. India said the continuing attacks on shipping in the region remain a cause of deep concern and called for an immediate cessation of such strikes.

The strait is a vital route for energy exports from the Gulf, so even limited attacks can have wider consequences for trade, insurance and freight costs. The supplied material says Middle East crude exports have recently risen to pre-war levels, but also notes that prices remain elevated, with Brent crude futures above $101 a barrel on Tuesday. That combination of continued traffic and repeated attacks suggests commercial shipping is still moving, but under growing risk.

India's role is significant because it is one of the largest contributors of sailors to merchant shipping worldwide, and the supplied material says at least 10 Indian seafarers had been killed since the war between the United States and Israel and Iran began in late February. It also says another attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz in September killed an Indian sailor. Those details show why the latest strike is being watched closely in New Delhi as well as in Gulf capitals.

What remains unclear is who carried out the attack, what weapon was used, and how severe the damage to the tanker was beyond the fire and injuries. It is also not yet clear whether the vessel will be able to continue its voyage or require repairs. The next developments to watch are further statements from Oman and India, any identification of the attacker, and whether the number of incidents in the strait continues to rise.

A fresh rise in attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has left 12 crew members injured on a Panama-flagged tanker, according to a statement from India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The vessel was hit by an unknown projectile while crossing the waterway on Tuesday, adding to growing concern over the security of one of the world's most important energy corridors. The incident comes as maritime trackers and shipping intelligence services report a broader deterioration in conditions around the strait.

The latest attack is one of at least seven tanker incidents reported in the past week, according to shipping intelligence cited in the supplied material. Those incidents include a fire on the Kuwaiti-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier MT Kazimah III after it was struck on 1 October, and damage to the engine room of the Liberian-flagged Aframax tanker Lipsi on 4 October. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency has also reported at least one attack a day in the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Aden since 2 October, underscoring the pace of the disruption.

The security deterioration is taking place alongside a partial recovery in oil flows from the Gulf. Maritime intelligence firm Kpler said Gulf oil exports, excluding Iran, recovered to more than 81% of pre-war levels in September, while crude exports from the wider Middle East exceeded pre-war levels on 14 days during the month. Even so, shipping companies are facing higher freight, insurance and security costs, and the repeated attacks raise questions about how long that recovery can last.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy trade because it links Gulf producers to markets in Asia and beyond. Before the war between the United States and Israel and Iran began on 28 February, the strait typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels a day and carried around 20% of global crude and liquefied natural gas supplies. That makes any sustained disruption significant not only for regional security, but also for energy prices, shipping confidence and the wider flow of trade.

The supplied material says Iran effectively closed the strait in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, while Washington has maintained a blockade on Iranian ports. It also says the conflict has already produced a cycle of military pressure and attempted diplomacy, with a memorandum of understanding agreed in June that was later overtaken by renewed attacks on vessels in Hormuz. Those developments help explain why even limited incidents at sea now carry wider political and economic weight.

Qatar has said negotiations and contacts are ongoing to restore freedom of navigation, according to the new material. That suggests there are still diplomatic efforts under way even as the maritime risk rises. At the same time, the repeated attacks point to a security environment in which commercial shipping remains exposed to sudden escalation.

What remains unclear is who carried out the latest strike, how much damage the tanker sustained, and whether the injured crew members required evacuation or further treatment. It is also not yet clear whether the recent incidents will alter shipping routes, insurance terms or the pace of oil exports through the strait. The next developments to watch are any identification of the attacker, further official statements from affected states, and whether the number of incidents continues to rise.

Provisional shipping data suggest crude exports from the Middle East rose above pre-war levels on several days in the last week of September, despite continuing tension around the Strait of Hormuz. The figures point to a resilient flow of oil and related cargoes through one of the world's most sensitive maritime routes. They also come as Iranian officials continue to make competing claims about the scale and security of traffic in the area.

Ship-tracking firm Kpler said crude exports from the region were above pre-war levels on four of the seven days in the final week of September, reaching between 19.5 million and 22.5 million barrels per day. The same data showed the seven-day average for crude exports at 18.5 million barrels per day on October 1, while the broader tally for crude, oil products, chemicals and non-gas liquids averaged 22.4 million barrels per day in the seven days to September 30. The report also said liquefied natural gas cargoes leaving the Strait of Hormuz rose in September to their highest monthly level since February.

The data were published alongside comments from senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ali Fadavi, who said only three to four million barrels per day were moving through the route and described that volume as negligible. He also claimed that no United States vessels were present in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman or the northern Indian Ocean, and said US warships were fully vulnerable to IRGC attacks. The report said Iran had claimed success in attacking ships, including US Navy vessels, near the strait around the same period, saying the strikes had pushed Washington to move its warships farther from the Iranian coast.

The figures matter because the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy trade, linking Gulf producers to markets in Asia and beyond. Even small disruptions there can affect shipping costs, insurance premiums and market confidence, particularly when military and political tensions are elevated. The latest data suggest that, so far, commercial flows have continued at high levels despite the risk of escalation.

The report places the latest movements in the context of the war between the United States and Israel and Iran, which has already affected maritime security in the region. It said average exports before the war stood at 18 million barrels per day between March 2025 and February 2026, giving a benchmark for comparison with the recent figures. It also noted that the data exclude vessels that may have crossed the strait with their automatic identification system transponders switched off, meaning the true volume could be higher or lower than the tracked totals.

What remains unclear is how long the higher export levels can be sustained if attacks or threats around the strait continue. The report said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency recorded at least one attack a day in the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Aden since October 2, underscoring the continuing security risk. It is also not clear whether the latest claims by Iranian officials will be followed by further action, or whether shipping patterns will change if the confrontation intensifies further.

Iran's foreign minister has said there is no military solution to the conflict with the United States, as talks on ending the confrontation appear to have stalled. His remarks came on Sunday amid renewed concern over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where a tanker was reported struck by an unknown projectile. The incident adds to pressure around one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, through which large volumes of Gulf oil and gas pass.

Abbas Araghchi told a gathering of foreign ambassadors that any response to military confrontation would be stronger than before, and said Iran would defend itself with greater force if attacked again. He also rejected the idea that new sanctions could resolve the dispute, saying only negotiations based on justice and fairness could bring it to an end. The comments came as Washington has reduced direct military action in favour of economic pressure, according to the supplied report.

The UK maritime security agency said the tanker reported being hit by an unknown projectile, which caused damage to the engine room. The crew were reported safe, and no environmental impact was recorded. The agency did not identify the vessel, its route, or whether it was carrying oil or liquefied natural gas, leaving key details of the incident unclear.

The latest maritime strike matters because it sits within a wider dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway central to global energy trade. The supplied report says Iran has sought to impose control over the shipping lane since the war began, striking vessels that it says tried to pass without authorisation. It also says the United States has responded with its own counterblockade of Iranian ports and has struck vessels it accuses of violating it.

The conflict has already seen a cycle of military pressure and attempted diplomacy. According to the report, a memorandum of understanding was agreed in June that set out a framework for a permanent resolution, but attacks on vessels in Hormuz prompted a return to US military operations. That sequence suggests the shipping lane remains both a military flashpoint and a bargaining point in the broader confrontation.

What remains unclear is who carried out the latest tanker strike, how severe the damage was, and whether it will trigger further retaliation. It is also not known whether the vessel was linked to the wider dispute over Hormuz or whether the incident will affect the stalled talks. The next developments to watch are any official identification of the ship, any response from Iran or the United States, and whether maritime risk in the area rises further.

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