According to cargo-tracking data from Kpler, Saudi Arabia has shipped roughly 34 million barrels of crude through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz following a ceasefire agreement on June 17. The sustained export volumes underscore the kingdom's commitment to maintaining global energy supplies even as regional stability remains fragile. The shipments represent a recovery in crude flows after earlier disruptions affected international oil markets.
Commercial traffic through the waterway remains substantially depressed, with only approximately 27 vessels per day transiting the strait with active Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals, according to IMF PortWatch data. This figure represents roughly one-third of pre-conflict traffic levels, which averaged about 84 daily transits. On July 4 alone, just 25 vessels crossed the strait with active AIS transmissions, highlighting the cautious approach many shipping operators continue to adopt in the region.
The disconnect between declining tanker traffic and maintained export volumes suggests that fewer, larger vessels are being deployed to move Saudi crude, or that shipments are being routed through alternative pathways. The situation reflects the broader tension between the region's importance as a global energy chokepoint and ongoing concerns about maritime security and geopolitical risks in the Persian Gulf.
