Strait of Hormuz

• Bahrain: All port operations (including KBSP) remain temporarily suspended; pilotage services are halted.
• Historical Avg Daily Transit: ~150 vessels in all, 60 tankers/cargo per 24-hour period. Current AIS data indicates 1-2 vessels/day (99% reduction).
• 16 Mar: Sat-AIS data suggests vessels exiting the Strait are routing north of Larak Island with transponders on. So far, 18 vessels have transited between Qeshm and Larak while hugging Iranian coastal waters.
• 19 Mar: Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia shut down terminal operations after overnight Iranian missile strikes.

Increased vessel clustering is expected near UAE coastal ports, Omani approaches, and SoH anchorages as operators delay discretionary transits pending further clarity. Elevated congestion may create secondary navigation risks including restricted maneuvering space, anchor dragging, and collision exposure.

Enhanced bridge resource management and disciplined VHF/AIS reporting is advised. U.S. and Israeli-affiliated or flagged vessels are advised to minimize time spent pier-side or at anchor within high-risk zones to reduce targeting vulnerability. Maintaining movement and avoiding predictable patterns is critical for mitigating the risk of targeted strikes or collateral damage.