Vessel numbers have plummeted in the Omani shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran continues to tighten control over the waterway.

According to agency reports, the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coastal route dropped sharply on Sunday. The day before, multiple vessels exiting the strait via this route abruptly turned around sharply, highlighting Iran’s continued tightening of control over this strategic waterway. A product tanker that turned back on Saturday appears to have attempted the transit again, and has now passed the northernmost tip of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. Earlier, another product tanker transited the same route, publicly announcing its navigation intent, and is now broadcasting its position in the Gulf of Oman. Some other vessels opted for "dark transit" through the strait. A Suezmax crude oil tanker, after its last position broadcast in the Persian Gulf on Saturday, was spotted in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday. Between Friday and Saturday, at least 8 vessels abruptly turned around while transiting the Strait of Hormuz via the Omani route. Four of them subsequently altered course north, exiting the strait via the Iranian side’s channel. No official explanation has been provided for these vessels’ abrupt turnarounds. However, Iran has repeatedly stated in the past that vessels may only transit the Strait of Hormuz via routes designated and authorized by Iran. According to Kpler data, a total of 19 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in both directions on Saturday, but only 1 publicly indicated it would enter the strait via the Omani coastal route, compared to 13 vessels that used this route on Friday. The above statistics only cover observable navigation activities.