The Port of Jebel Ali, which had suspended operations earlier (see "Major ports including Jebel Ali, the largest port in the Middle East, suspend operations; one oil tanker hit"), has announced the resumption of services. However, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted. Major shipping lines have instructed their vessels to stand by in safe areas, and port operations within the Persian Gulf are still effectively restricted. According to a report by Iran's Student News Network on the 2nd, a commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said during a live television broadcast that any vessel attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would be destroyed, and that "we will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region."
According to a same-day report by Iran's Fars News Agency, no oil tankers are currently passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Twenty-six oil tankers are lingering near the strait, while another 27 have been completely halted, with a combined carrying capacity of 12 million barrels of crude oil. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. That same night, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran announced a ban on all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Clarksons Research, on March 1, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped by 80% compared with "normal" levels. It is estimated that approximately 3,200 vessels are currently in the Persian Gulf region (including locally operating vessels such as offshore support vessels), accounting for 4% of the global fleet capacity. This comprises 112 crude oil tankers (more than 70 of which are VLCC crude oil tankers, representing 8% of the global VLCC fleet capacity), 195 product tankers (4%), 241 bulk carriers (1%), 114 container ships (1%), and 21 VLGCs (5%). There are also 6 cruise ships, all currently berthed in ports. In addition, around 500 vessels (1% of global capacity) are "waiting" outside the Gulf, mainly moored at ports along the coasts of the UAE and Oman. Source: PortCircle
