Two Weeks Into the Iran War: A Maritime Intelligence Breakdown in International Shipping News 16/03/2026 Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained near a standstill during the week, with only 10 vessel crossings recorded between March 7 and March 11, compared to a typical daily average of 70-80 crossings. Maritime attacks intensified across the Gulf, bringing the total number of vessels struck since the start of the conflict to at least 16 ships across multiple maritime zones. Remote Sensing Intelligence detected dark vessel presence inside the Strait, suggesting limited transit activity continues under partially visible or non-transmitting conditions. Electronic interference expanded sharply, with more than 1,650 vessels experiencing GPS and AIS disruption across the Gulf region. Global shipping routes continued to adjust to the disruption, with Cape of Good Hope diversion traffic remaining elevated while Bab el-Mandeb and Suez Canal volumes fluctuated. Saudi Arabia accelerated its Petroline export workaround, redirecting crude shipments toward the Red Sea port of Yanbu, where a fleet of 27 VLCCs is now arriving to load cargoes. Energy supply disruption deepened across the region as Iraqi production collapsed, Asian refiners reduced operations, and global tanker freight rates surged. Dry bulk commodity flows through the Gulf also collapsed, leaving hundreds of bulk carriers stranded and disrupting key global metals and fertilizer supply chains. Sanctions and oil-flow dynamics also shifted beyond the Gulf, as OFAC temporarily allowed Russian crude already at sea to complete delivery while Swedish authorities boarded the sanctioned tanker SEA OWL I in European waters. The Second Week of the Iran War at Sea Two weeks after the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the maritime conflict in the Gulf has shifted from immediate disruption to sustained systemic stress across global shipping networks. The initial days of the conflict triggered a rapid collapse in commercial confidence in the Strait of Hormuz as vessel strikes, missile threats, and insurance withdrawals pushed operators out of the corridor. By the start of the second week, routine commercial traffic had largely disappeared. Vessel attacks expanded geographically, electronic interference intensified, and global shipping routes began redistributing trade flows away from Gulf transit corridors. Major powers also expanded their monitoring posture in the region. China deployed the Liaowang-1 signals intelligence vessel to the Gulf of Oman, placing a large maritime surveillance platform within observation range of the conflict theater. Regional governments have also begun intervening directly in maritime security. Pakistan launched a naval escort mission, Operation Muhafiz-ul-Bahr, to protect merchant vessels transporting critical cargoes to Karachi. Energy supply chains also began restructuring. Saudi Arabia accelerated exports through its Red Sea pipeline bypass, while Iraqi exports collapsed as tanker access to southern terminals became constrained. Nearly two weeks after the initial maritime shock, the conflict is now reshaping shipping behavior, global trade routes, and energy logistics simultaneously. Hormuz Traffic Remains Suppressed Commercial activity through the Strait of Hormuz remained extremely limited throughout the second week of the conflict. Only 10 commercial vessel crossings were recorded between March 7 and March 11, compared with a typical daily average of