Just under 100 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of March, according to data analysed by BBC Verify, despite periodic attacks on shipping in the area by Iranian forces.
While some energy and everyday goods are still moving through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, daily traffic is down about 95% since the Iran war began on 28 February.
Before the war, about 138 ships passed through the strait each day according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, carrying one fifth of the global oil supply.
The data provided by shipping analysts Kpler shows 99 vessels passing the narrow strait so far this month, an average of just 5-6 vessels a day.
BBC Verify looks at the ships making the journey and the risks they are taking.
Our analysis indicates that about a third of these recent crossings were made by ships with connections to Iran, including 14 vessels sailing under Iran's flag and others under sanctions due to suspected links to Tehran's oil trade. Nine other ships were owned by companies with addresses linked to China, while six listed India as their destination.
The analysis also reveals that several non-Iran linked ships have docked at the country's ports, including vessels owned by Greek companies. Some ships successfully crossing the strait appear to be taking a longer route than usual.
Tracking data for a Pakistan-flagged oil tanker suggests it sailed close to the Iranian coast on its passage through the strait on 15 March, rather than the more widely used route through the middle.
Bradley Martin, senior researcher at the US defence think tank RAND Corporation, suggested that the ship was likely responding to some set of directions from Iran. He indicates that its path could reveal the presence of mines or the intention by Iranian officials to make the ship easier to identify.
Shipping expert Michelle Wiese Bockmann highlighted how Iran is effectively controlling the strait by instilling fear of attacks and mining activities in passing vessels, suggesting that this drives ships to hug Iran's territorial coastline instead of using the designated international navigation channel.
Since the conflict began we have verified 20 commercial vessels attacked off the Iranian coast, not all of them in the direct vicinity of the Hormuz Strait. On 11 March, the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was struck by two projectiles while attempting to pass through, with three of its crew members now missing.
As the stakes continue to rise, the global maritime industry is left contemplating the implications of the unstable situation in the region, where commercial shipping lanes are becoming increasingly hazardous.
