ALBAWABA - The Kpler platform released data confirming that on Monday, the largest number of cargo ships since the war started were able to cross through the Strait of Hormuz.
At least 36 cargo ships passed the waterway on Monday, setting a record for maritime traffic since the start of the conflict in February 2026, according to data from the Kpler platform.
This comes ahead of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the United States and Iran to end the over 100-day escalation, with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar.
This activity represents about a third of the peacetime traffic, which was about 120 ships daily) through this strategic waterway for global trade.
Cargo ships are docked along a pier at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in Sharjah Emirate on June 19, 2026. Photo by - / AFP
Nearly a fifth of the world's oil exports, as well as other essential raw materials, pass through the strait.
The total number of ships transiting the strait on Monday was expected to rise as additional vessels were detected by maritime tracking systems.
Hormuz was reopened last week after Tehran and Washington reached a deal, which was signed virtually by both leaders - U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
When Iran closed the waterway on March 1st, about 10 cargo ships were transiting daily. Since June 15, the average jumped to 21 ships, hitting 27 during the past five days.
