[Strait of Hormuz Non-Iranian Oil Transport Volume Surges 50% This Month, Ignoring Blockade Threats] BlockBeats News, June 12: Despite escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, oil transport activity through the Strait of Hormuz has recently shown a significant rebound. According to data from energy analytics firm Vortexa, the average daily transport volume of non-Iranian crude oil exported via the Strait of Hormuz in the first 10 days of June reached at least 1.8 million barrels, a 50% increase compared to the approximately 1.2 million barrels per day in May. Meanwhile, due to U.S. blockade measures, Iranian oil transport has nearly come to a standstill, with no Iranian oil passing through the strait during the same period. Vortexa Senior Market Analyst Xavier Tang noted that "blind sailing" through the Strait of Hormuz, with automatic identification system (AIS) signals turned off, has become the new norm. Although the overall transport volume remains far below the pre-conflict level of approximately 20 million barrels per day, market concerns over the risk of a strait blockade have significantly eased. When Iran announced another closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, Brent crude oil futures showed almost no significant fluctuations, in stark contrast to the roughly 13% price surge during the initial blockade by Iran at the start of the conflict. Additionally, U.S. President Trump revealed that the U.S. military has been conducting a secret escort mission since last month, ensuring the safe passage of approximately 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, averaging over 2.4 million barrels per day. The U.S. Central Command also stated that this week it intercepted two vessels attempting to breach the blockade measures in place since mid-April, one of which experienced an engine room fire on Thursday. The market is currently closely monitoring whether oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz can maintain its current levels amid Iran's latest threats to close the strait. As of the time of writing, WTI crude oil is priced at $87.38, up 0.25% on the day, while Brent crude oil is priced at $88.58, up 0.05% on the day. [Original Link]