Fewer vessels travel through Hormuz as US, Iran continue strikes

SINGAPORE, July 16 (Reuters) – Fewer vessels travelled through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day after the U.S. reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports with both countries escalating strikes across the Gulf, shipping data showed.

Seven vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from 13 the previous day, Kpler data showed.

Hostilities have intensified since Iran said late on Saturday it had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Military operations are keeping ships from travelling through the waterway, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the war.

On Wednesday, four empty vessels entered the Gulf, including three small oil tankers and a dry bulk carrier for grains, the data showed. The three vessels that exited the strait on Wednesday carried liquefied petroleum gas, coal and fuel oil.

On Tuesday, a Suezmax tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Saudi crude exited the strait with its transponder switched off, Kpler data showed.

There were no Very Large Crude Carrier or liquefied natural gas tankers passing through the strait on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Florence Tan; Editing by Kate Mayberry)