Iran claims to have closed the Strait of Hormuz once more, slowing shipping.

Following Iran’s announcement that it had once more closed the Strait of Hormuz due to Israeli and US violations of the interim peace agreement, shipping statistics revealed a dramatic decline in the number of ships passing through the canal on Sunday.

Out of the 26 ships seen the day before, five passed the strait on Sunday, according to data from analytics company Kpler. Among them were three Very Large Crude Carriers, one of which was bound for Japan, each carrying about two million barrels of Saudi gasoline and crude oil. Vessels that turn off their transponders while in the Gulf may not be included in the statistics.

In response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the waterway closed once more on Saturday. Iran had lifted its effective blockade of the strait last week after reaching an agreement with the US to extend an April ceasefire for 60 days to allow for peace talks. Commercial ships were still in operation, according to the US Navy.

According to the data, three VLCCs carrying crude from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq were among the ships that left the strait on Saturday, while three tankers carrying different oil products were also there.

According to the data, 13 ships—including two VLCCs—entered the strait on Saturday.

Kuwait Petroleum Corp. and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., two Gulf producers, have released bids for the sale of oil that can be loaded from both within and outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Two ships operated by South Korea crossed the Strait

According to Seoul’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Monday, two South Korean-operated ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz following the signing of a ceasefire memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran last week.

The government declined to provide more information about the vessels, stating that they are travelling normally but have not yet completely left a high-risk area.

The ministry stated that the ships are not headed for South Korea and do not have any South Korean staff on board.

It stated that 22 ships operated by South Korea are still stuck in the Strait of Hormuz.