The commercial shipping in the Hormuz Strait is nearly at a standstill, raising concerns about the impact on global energy supply.

According to Direct Economic News APP, after a new round of military conflicts erupted near the Strait of Hormuz between the United States and Iran, the global most important energy transportation channel is currently still in a "semi-closed" state, with commercial shipping almost at a standstill, and concerns about the impact on global energy supply further escalating. The US military stated that US forces launched nighttime strikes on multiple missile and drone launch bases and related military facilities in Iran, stating that these targets were related to previous attacks on three US warships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest conflict has also put the originally fragile ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran at risk of further breakdown. The market previously expected Iran to soon respond to the ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States. President Trump of the United States once again warned that if Iran refuses US conditions, the US may launch more intense strikes. Iran, on the other hand, responded that the US's continued hostile actions against Iran reflect that Washington "cannot understand the situation correctly, nor can it find a reasonable way out of the impasse it has created for itself". Meanwhile, Tehran is further strengthening its control over the Strait of Hormuz. Reports indicate that Iran is demanding ship owners to provide more detailed information to its "Persian Gulf Maritime Authority", including vessel history and cargo value, further increasing market uncertainty and prompting shipping companies to be cautious about passing through the strait. Data shows that since this Tuesday, there has been no observed commercial shipping activity in and out of the Strait of Hormuz. An oil tanker named Interstellar appeared near Pakistan waters on Friday, with its destination shown as Osaka, Japan. Based on the time it had gone missing near the Strait of Hormuz, the ship may have successfully completed the passage. Another small product tanker, Zerba, was apparently driven away by the US military when approaching the "blockade line" under US control, and may have been forced to turn back twice. Market insiders point out that the widespread deception and shutdown of AIS (Automatic Identification System) signals are seriously disrupting ship tracking data, making it increasingly difficult for outsiders to accurately judge the real shipping situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command said that the US military is currently preventing more than 70 oil tankers from entering and leaving Iranian ports, with a total transportation capacity of over 166 million barrels of crude oil. Analysts point out that the US maritime blockade and Iranian-related ships voluntarily shutting off AIS signals are exacerbating market information confusion. Some oil tankers related to Iran typically turn off their positioning systems when approaching the Strait of Hormuz, and only turn the signals back on when nearing the Malacca Strait. Industry experts believe that even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens in the future, it may take several weeks or even months for the global energy transportation system to return to normal. The Strait of Hormuz handles about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas transportation, and is seen as one of the most critical "throat channels" in the global energy supply chain. The current situation escalation is rapidly increasing international market concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global economic growth prospects.