Strait of Hormuz Ship Transits in 2023 — Monthly Totals and Records
Overview
Daily commercial ship transits of the Strait of Hormuz during 2023, month by month: total traffic, its quietest and busiest stretches, and the incidents that moved it.
2023 Month by Month
| Month | Total | Daily avg | Peak day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2,326 | 75.0 | 94 · 25 Jan |
| February | 2,303 | 82.2 | 124 · 16 Feb |
| March | 2,465 | 79.5 | 109 · 11 Mar |
| April | 2,641 | 88.0 | 127 · 20 Apr |
| May | 2,762 | 89.1 | 116 · 19 May |
| June | 2,521 | 84.0 | 115 · 5 Jun |
| July | 2,588 | 83.5 | 119 · 5 Jul |
| August | 2,771 | 89.4 | 113 · 12 Aug |
| September | 2,539 | 84.6 | 123 · 14 Sep |
| October | 2,513 | 81.1 | 109 · 5 Oct |
| November | 2,038 | 67.9 | 109 · 12 Nov |
| December | 2,001 | 64.5 | 95 · 28 Dec |
Busiest Days of 2023
| Date | Transits | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 20 April | 127 | — |
| 16 February | 124 | — |
| 14 September | 123 | — |
| 22 April | 121 | — |
| 24 February | 120 | — |
| 5 July | 119 | — |
| 19 May | 116 | — |
| 31 July | 116 | — |
| 6 April | 115 | — |
| 6 May | 115 | — |
Incidents Logged in 2023
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr | Interception | Iran seizes two tankers, Advantage Sweet and Niovi, within a week in the Strait of Hormuz area |
Reading the Numbers
2023 recorded 29,468 transits, an average of 80.7 per day. That is 5% below the 31,128 recorded in 2022.
Among the 7 complete years on record, 2023 ranks as the second-busiest.
The busiest month was August with 2,771 transits.
The quietest month was December with 2,001 transits. It came in the wake of a logged incident: Iran seizes two tankers, Advantage Sweet and Niovi, within a week in the Strait of Hormuz area.
The peak day of the year — 127 transits on April 20 — compares with the year's daily average of 80.7. 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 2023?
29,468 transits were recorded over the course of 2023, an average of 80.7 per day.
What was the busiest day of 2023?
The peak was 127 transits on April 20, 2023.
How does 2023 compare with 2022?
2023's total of 29,468 is 5% lower than the 31,128 recorded in 2022.
Sources: IMF PortWatch · Kpler · UN Global Platform · UK Maritime Trade Operations