Image for representation purposes only Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed further over the weekend as rising tensions between the United States and Iran continued to affect vessel movements through one of the world’s most important energy routes. Shipping data from LSEG showed only four vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, down from eight the previous day. The decline follows an earlier slowdown reported by maritime intelligence platform Kpler, which said confirmed crossings fell to eight vessels on July 16, the lowest daily total in three weeks. The latest drop in traffic came as the United States carried out its eighth consecutive night of attacks against Iranian targets. Kuwait and Bahrain have also reported increased Iranian aggression, adding to security concerns in the Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz handles around one-fifth of global oil trade, making it a key route for energy supplies. The slowdown has also affected liquefied natural gas shipping, with no LNG carriers passing through the strait since Thursday. In a post on X, Kpler said traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continued to weaken on July 16, with seven of the eight confirmed crossings using the Iranian route. It said ship operators were reassessing security, crew safety and insurance risks. Activity was evenly split between low-risk and sanctioned vessels, while no shadow fleet crossings were recorded. Strait crossings hit three week low Strait of Hormuz traffic continued to weaken on 16 July, with confirmed crossings falling to eight, the lowest level in three weeks. Seven of the eight transits used the Iranian route, highlighting a growing concentration of movements through… pic.twitter.com/YEA63ZGkVJ — Kpler (@Kpler) July 17, 2026 According to earlier reporting, commercial shipping has slowed sharply since the collapse of a brief June ceasefire and the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports. Daily vessel movements have reportedly fallen from a