Hormuz shipping remains 70% below pre-war levels, UKMTO says
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains about 70 percent below pre-conflict levels, according to a weekly assessment by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which also reported 35 attacks on shipping in October.
DUBAI — Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains about 70 percent below pre-conflict levels, with vessels continuing to face attacks, navigation interference and security risks across the Gulf, according to a weekly assessment by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The report covers the seven days to October 28, 2026.
The UKMTO recorded 277 vessel transits in the strait over that period: 155 inbound and 122 outbound. The figure combines automatic identification system (AIS) observations with US-reported facilitated transits. Measured against pre-conflict levels, the combined total was approximately 70 percent lower.
According to UKMTO, AIS-observed transits rose to 64 from 47 the previous week. US-reported facilitated movements remained broadly stable. The US Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) estimates that about 80 percent of transits through the strait involve energy carriers, the UKMTO report said.
Most vessels broadcasting AIS continued to use the Iranian route, UKMTO said. It reported an increase in traffic along the southern route.
The maritime monitoring body said it had recorded 88 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began on February 28. The data suggest at least 35 attacks on shipping in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in October, according to UKMTO. It described October as the worst month for attacks since the start of the war. UKMTO data show March was the second-worst month, with about 30 attacks.
Why it matters
The strait is a major route for energy cargoes, and UKMTO's figures show that most transits still involve energy carriers. A sustained fall in traffic affects the vessels and crews that use the route, and the businesses that depend on the cargoes they carry. The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and Iran, and the Gulf states that border it, including several with large Muslim populations, rely on its shipping lanes.
Background
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway linking the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. According to UKMTO, the conflict in the region began on February 28, 2026, and the monitoring body has tracked incidents in the strait since that date. The shipping figures in this report are measured against pre-conflict traffic levels, which UKMTO uses as its baseline.
Two routes are in use. UKMTO said most vessels broadcasting AIS continued to use the Iranian route, while traffic on the southern route has increased.
What happens next
UKMTO publishes its assessment weekly. The report does not set out any scheduled decisions, deadlines or further official responses. Further data will show whether the rise in AIS-observed transits and the increase on the southern route continue.
Note: The figures in this report come from a single source, the UKMTO weekly assessment as reported by Middle East Eye. Zenga News has not independently verified the transit counts or the incident totals.
Sources
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