Shipping traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz has surged nearly fourfold in two weeks, with vessels increasingly using a US-backed route along Oman’s coast despite continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Nearly 200 ships crossed the waterway last week, compared with about 150 the previous week and only 40 two weeks earlier, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre.

The sharp increase suggests that commercial shipping is gradually returning to the waterway, although traffic remains well below pre-war levels. The Strait of Hormuz normally handles roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil supplies.

Ships increasingly using Oman route

More than 80 per cent of liquid cargo vessels travelling through the strait over the past two weeks either used a route on the Omani side or disappeared from tracking systems, according to maritime intelligence company Kpler.

The Omani route is backed by the United States and authorised by the International Maritime Organisation, but Iran has rejected the arrangement.

Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis at Kpler, told CNN that the latest developments increasingly suggested Iran had only partial control over the strait.

Dan Pickering, founder of Pickering Energy Partners, said the Omani route made sense for shipping companies seeking to avoid the possibility of paying a toll to Tehran.

Traffic remains below pre-war levels

Shipping activity through Hormuz almost came to a standstill after the war between Iran and the United States began in late February.

The latest figures show a significant recovery, but overall traffic remains only around 20 per cent of pre-war levels.

During the most recent seven-day period, 103 ships entered the strait while 89 left. That represented a 27 per cent increase from the previous week, when 76 vessels entered and 75 exited.

Two weeks earlier, only 18 ships entered and 21 left.

US-backed shipping corridor gains importance

Many of the vessels using the route were registered under the flags of US allies, including Panama and Liberia. However, a ship’s flag indicates its country of registration and does not necessarily identify the nationality of its owner.

Around half of the vessels were oil tankers, while the remainder carried dry cargo.

The increase in traffic comes as the United States continues efforts to make the waterway safer for commercial shipping. US forces have been involved in clearing suspected Iranian mines and have also supported the movement of oil tankers through the strait.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said the waterway had been de-mined and was “open and operating”.

Iran threatens retaliation

The increase in shipping comes amid an increasingly tense confrontation between Iran and the United States.

A 60-day period intended to provide an opportunity for negotiations ended earlier this week, with talks over the future of the strait showing little progress.

Iranian officials have warned that Tehran could retaliate against the US and countries that support Washington’s economic pressure campaign.

Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei warned that Iran would respond in an “earthquake-like” manner if Trump ordered further action.

Despite the threats, the growing number of commercial vessels using Hormuz indicates that shipping companies are increasingly willing to risk the passage, particularly through the Omani side of the waterway.

Why the Strait of Hormuz matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, providing a crucial export route for oil-producing countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The recent recovery in shipping therefore represents more than a rise in vessel numbers. It could signal a gradual erosion of Iran’s ability to restrict commercial movement through one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.