As the war continues in Iran, commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has sharply declined, according to industry officials. While Tehran has not announced plans to close the vital waterway, many shipping companies are keeping vessels in port amid uncertainty.
Among them is the AP Astarea, a vessel operated by the Dubrovnik-based shipping company Atlantska Plovidba. The ship is currently docked at the Port of Hamriyah near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Mario Pavić, president of the management board of Tankerska plovidba and chairman of the supervisory board of Atlantska Plovidba, said the company remains in constant contact with the crew.
“The crew is witnessing the situation on the ground, but there has been no drama,” Pavić said in an interview with Radio Zadar. “The vessel has clear instructions, and for now the situation is under control.”
Shipping Traffic Drops Sharply
Pavić noted that large commercial vessels are currently absent from the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors. On the first day following the escalation, maritime traffic reportedly fell by between 50 and 75 percent.
“Today there are no visible transits of large ships through the strait,” he said, adding that any movement could involve vessels switching off tracking systems that normally broadcast their positions.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a critical artery for global energy supplies, with a significant share of the world’s oil exports passing through its narrow passage between Iran and Oman. Even without a formal closure, reduced traffic can have ripple effects across energy markets and global trade.
Safety Over Commerce
For Atlantska Plovidba, safety considerations outweigh commercial pressures.
“We consider the vessel to be in a safe position,” Pavić said. “Until we are certain that it is safe to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, we will remain in the Persian Gulf. Under no circumstances will commercial interests be placed ahead of safety.”
He emphasized that the current berth in the United Arab Emirates is believed to be safer than attempting to transit the strait under present conditions.
As the war in Iran spills out across the whole region, shipping companies worldwide are reassessing routes and risk exposure in the Gulf region. For Croatian operators like Atlantska Plovidba, the unfolding crisis underscores how quickly global conflicts can intersect with the country’s maritime industry — even thousands of miles from home.