Strait of Hormuz vessel traffic plunges to 77 ships since March 1 amid U.S.-Israel-Iran tensions

Only 77 ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz since March 1, down sharply from 1,229 vessels during the same period last year, as U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict disrupted the strategic energy chokepoint, BlockBeats reports citing Jin10. Most of the 77 ships are older, in poor technical condition, and lack adequate insurance and clear ownership, Agence France-Presse reported on March 13, citing Lloyd's List. The maritime data provider said many vessels are part of "shadow fleets" used to circumvent Western sanctions on oil and gas shipments.