Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Maritime security concerns intensified in the Gulf after the UK Maritime Trade Operations authority said it had received multiple reports from vessels indicating they were warned by Iran not to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed the warnings.
According to the maritime body of the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, ships operating in Gulf waters reported receiving communications suggesting the strategic waterway was being closed. The reports come amid sharply escalating regional tensions following the outbreak of hostilities involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Iranian media outlets meanwhile reported that vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had effectively halted, though independent verification remains limited.
Warning broadcasts reported
A European security official involved in the EU naval mission Operation Aspides told Reuters that several ships had detected high-frequency radio broadcasts attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stating that no vessels were permitted to pass through the strait.
Global oil and gas carriers have already begun suspending voyages through the critical chokepoint, reflecting growing fears the waterway could become a direct target as the conflict widens.
Strategic artery for global energy
The Strait of Hormuz is widely regarded as the world’s most important oil transit route. Roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil trade passes through the narrow waterway each day, along with significant volumes of liquefied natural gas.
Because of its central role in global energy flows, any disruption to shipping through the strait carries immediate implications for international oil markets, freight costs and supply chains.
Satellite data shows sharp drop in traffic
Satellite imagery and vessel-tracking data from the maritime platforms MarineTraffic and VesselFinder indicate what analysts describe as a near-complete and deliberate clearing of the maritime strip surrounding the Port of Hormuz in the days preceding the latest escalation.
Data reviewed shows that only five vessels entered the port between February 20 and 24. On Monday, February 23, just one ship — identified as “Atlanta 1” and flying the Iranian flag — was present, with no public details available regarding its cargo.
By comparison, the port typically received around 30 ships per day on average during the final quarter of last year. Traffic had already fallen to fewer than five vessels daily during the period of heightened Iranian-Israeli tensions between June 13 and June 24.
No formal closure confirmed
Despite the surge in warnings and the visible pullback in shipping traffic, there has been no official Iranian declaration of a formal closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Maritime security analysts say the situation remains highly fluid, with ship operators adopting precautionary measures while awaiting clearer signals from Tehran and international naval forces operating in the region.
