Hormuz shipping traffic edges up as Iran-Oman talks continue

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz saw a slight improvement in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, despite ongoing US-Iran tensions, with attention on Iranian-Omani talks. Ten commodity ships crossed the strait Wednesday, up from eight Tuesday, below the 10-day average of 15. The strait remains a critical chokepoint. The increase included medium fuel tankers, an LPG carrier, and liquid cargo vessels entering from the Gulf of Oman, with fuel, bitumen, and bulk carriers exiting. An Iranian source said Tehran and Oman are still finalizing an agreement on the waterway, following Revolutionary Guard claims of a deal on sharing its revenues. A British maritime agency reported a tanker hit by an unknown projectile in the strait, causing a fire that was extinguished. Separately, traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb strait slowed for a second day, with 19 ships crossing Wednesday, down from 24, though some vessels may sail without transponders.