The U.S. announced that it would facilitate the transit of 660 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Central Command stated that since early May, the U.S. military has facilitated the passage of more than 660 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz. During the same period, approximately 1,300 commercial vessels received assistance in transiting the strait, according to CNBC, citing CENTCOM spokesperson U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins.
On July 29, CENTCOM reported facilitating the transit of 500 million barrels since May. Thus, at least 160 million barrels—or more than 7 million barrels per day—passed through the strait over the following three weeks, according to military data.
These volumes are still below pre-war levels, when approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products were transported through the Strait of Hormuz daily. At the same time, estimates of actual export volumes vary: U.S. officials told Axios that about 10 million barrels per day had been leaving the strait in recent weeks, while U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on August 11 that the seven-day average was nearly 9 million barrels.
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The maritime intelligence firm Windward estimated average July crude oil exports through the strait at approximately 5 million barrels per day, compared to 4 million in June and 1.6 million in May. Analysts attribute the discrepancies to the difficulty of tracking ships during wartime, particularly due to nighttime crossings.
The security situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains tense. Iran has stated that it has closed the strait until the U.S. fulfills its obligations under the interim peace agreement of June 17. The U.S. military is assisting ships using the southern route along the coast of Oman, while Tehran demands that they take the northern route through its territorial waters. According to the International Maritime Organization, at least 17 commercial vessels were attacked in the Strait area in July and August; at least four sailors were killed, and more than a dozen were injured.
