By Rebecca Feng
Traffic at the Strait of Hormuz slowed to just 22 crossings on Sunday, the slowest day since the U.S. and Iran signed a preliminary deal to end the war. Between Friday and Sunday, a total of 108 vessels transited the narrow waterway, according to ship-tracking company Kpler.
The drop in traffic came after a cargo ship was attacked on Thursday and an oil tanker hit on Saturday. Although neither attack caused casualties and both vessels sailed on afterward, the incidents once again spooked shipowners, charterers and crews and slowed the recovery in Hormuz traffic.
The U.S. and Iran agreed on Sunday to stop trading blows and resume peace talks, but for now sailing through Hormuz remains a tricky enterprise.
Iran yesterday asserted it has the exclusive right to manage traffic through the strait, which clashes with the U.S. position that navigation must be unimpeded. The next round of talks could happen as early as tomorrow and would focus on resolving the Hormuz issue, officials involved in the negotiations said.
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