How a 95 percent drop in Hormuz traffic changed global shipping

Six months into the United States-Israel war on Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to drive one of the worst maritime shipping disruptions in decades.Traffic through the 33km (21-mile) chokepoint has fallen from more than 100 vessels a day to just five, disrupting the flow of oil, gas and goods worldwide.Al Jazeera visualises how a crisis in one narrow passage has disrupted an industry that carries about 80 percent of the world’s trade.About 80 percent of goods move by seaAlmost everything people buy, from the fuel in their cars to the grain in their bread, has likely spent time on board a vessel at sea.About 80 percent of world trade by volume moves by sea at some point, making maritime shipping essential to the global economy, according to UNCTAD, the UN’s trade and development body.Not all ships are created equal. Different vessels are built for various purposes, from moving oil to the goods we rely on every day.(Al Jazeera) Oil tankers are among the largest ships and carry energy products such as crude oil, refined petroleum, and chemicals. Most crude oil is transported by Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs, which can access a wide range of ports and carry abo...