Bloomberg reported on the 30th local time that the number of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz is gradually increasing as the U.S. military provides information necessary for vessel operations.
According to ship-tracking data, since the conflict began, at least a quarter of the vessels—excluding Iran-flagged ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz—have safely exited the strait.
In recent days, ships passing through the strait have sailed with their transponders switched off. Because of this, it is estimated that there are more vessels than those captured by existing tracking systems.
Two shipowners who requested anonymity told Bloomberg they received advice from the U.S. military on how to transit the strait safely. One official said several fast boats believed to be Iranian approached the vessels during the voyage, but thanks to a helicopter that suddenly appeared, they were able to exit the strait safely.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) earlier reported the previous day that the U.S. military, while communicating with ships, is advising them on when to switch off the automatic identification system (AIS) and how to respond to Iranian threats, supporting the vessels' so-called "dark voyages."
Bloomberg said, "If the trend of increasing traffic continues, it could be interpreted as a sign that more shipping companies are willing to attempt the Strait of Hormuz transit," adding, "As a result, volumes of a wide range of goods—from oil and gas to consumer products—are expected to rise."