US Commander Confirms Improved Oil and Gas Shipments in Hormuz Strait

A US Central Command commander announced that shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz reached their highest level in six months during the past two weeks. This improvement in navigation traffic is a result of ongoing maritime protection and mine clearance efforts. The US official confirmed that the main transit passages in the Strait are now clear of mines, noting that thousands of vessels regularly cross Hormuz. He also indicated that US forces assisted over two thousand commercial vessels in exiting the Strait and facilitated the export of more than one billion barrels of crude oil over the past two months. Furthermore, he added that the United States continues to work with its partners to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and secure, and to increase the volume of navigation through it. According to estimates by the US Secretary of Energy on September 13, approximately 10 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington also affirms that Iran has not exported any oil through the Strait due to the imposed US embargo.