Strait of Hormuz Ship Transits in 2019 — Monthly Totals and Records
Overview
Daily commercial ship transits of the Strait of Hormuz during 2019, month by month: total traffic, its quietest and busiest stretches, and the incidents that moved it.
2019 Month by Month
| Month | Total | Daily avg | Peak day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1,687 | 54.4 | 71 · 3 Jan |
| February | 1,569 | 56.0 | 76 · 22 Feb |
| March | 1,713 | 55.3 | 80 · 6 Mar |
| April | 1,942 | 64.7 | 93 · 29 Apr |
| May | 2,077 | 67.0 | 90 · 3 May |
| June | 2,180 | 72.7 | 102 · 24 Jun |
| July | 2,336 | 75.4 | 102 · 3 Jul |
| August | 2,267 | 73.1 | 91 · 7 Aug |
| September | 2,074 | 69.1 | 96 · 14 Sep |
| October | 1,995 | 64.4 | 94 · 17 Oct |
| November | 1,432 | 47.7 | 68 · 1 Nov |
| December | 1,553 | 50.1 | 70 · 15 Dec |
Busiest Days of 2019
| Date | Transits | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 24 June | 102 | — |
| 3 July | 102 | — |
| 6 July | 102 | — |
| 30 June | 99 | — |
| 16 June | 96 | — |
| 14 September | 96 | — |
| 4 July | 95 | — |
| 12 July | 95 | — |
| 29 September | 95 | — |
| 17 October | 94 | — |
Incidents Logged in 2019
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May | Strike | Limpet mines damage four tankers off Fujairah, UAE, in suspected Iranian sabotage attack |
| 13 Jun | Strike | Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous tankers set ablaze in Gulf of Oman attacks blamed on Iran |
| 20 Jun | Interception | Iran shoots down US Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk drone over Strait of Hormuz |
| 19 Jul | Interception | Iran seizes British tanker Stena Impero in Strait of Hormuz, retaliating for Gibraltar's Grace 1 seizure |
Reading the Numbers
2019 recorded 22,825 transits, an average of 62.5 per day.
Among the 7 complete years on record, 2019 ranks as the quietest.
The busiest month was July with 2,336 transits.
The quietest month was November with 1,432 transits. It came in the wake of a logged incident: Iran seizes British tanker Stena Impero in Strait of Hormuz, retaliating for Gibraltar's Grace 1 seizure.
The peak day of the year — 102 transits on June 24 — compares with the year's daily average of 62.5. Activity was reported on 365 of the 365 days covered (100%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many commercial ship transits of the Strait of Hormuz were recorded in 2019?
22,825 transits were recorded over the course of 2019, an average of 62.5 per day.
What was the busiest day of 2019?
The peak was 102 transits on June 24, 2019.
Sources: IMF PortWatch · Kpler · UN Global Platform · UK Maritime Trade Operations