‘Critical’ threat in Strait of Hormuz as Iran insists on coordinating ship transits, UKMTO warns
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained sharply reduced Sunday as talks failed between the United States and Iran, with the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center warning of a “critical” threat.
“The regional maritime threat environment across the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman remains CRITICAL,” the UKMTO said in an advisory.
“The overall maritime threat environment remains at a critical level due to recent attack patterns, continued navigation interference, and persistent operational disruption, to include port facilities, across the region," it added.
The UKMTO also reported that only four vessels transited the strait in the past 24 hours, compared to a historical average of about 138 vessels per day before the conflict.
AIS data further highlights the slowdown, showing “eight transits on April 9, two transits on April 10, and four transits on April 11.”
“Iran continues to assert that transits require prior coordination with its armed forces,” the UKMTO warned.
Posted by Emma Bussey
