The Strait of Hormuz has been a major focus of the six-month war between Iran, the United States and Israel, with numerous commercial vessels targeted along the vital route for oil and gas shipments.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has confirmed 68 incidents in the Gulf and neighbouring waters, equivalent to one every 2-6 days, reports AFP.
At least 20 seafarers or port workers were reported killed, 35 wounded and one missing across all the incidents, the UN maritime agency said.
About half of the incidents involved tankers, while 20 per cent involved container ships and 15 per cent bulk carriers.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) classified 47 of the incidents as attacks.
Liberia-flagged vessels were the most affected, being involved in 13 incidents, followed by vessels from Panama and the Marshall Islands, with 10 incidents each.
Iran-flagged vessels were reported to have been involved in four incidents.
The frequency of incidents has varied throughout the different phases of the war.
From the outbreak of the war at the end of February until an agreement establishing a framework for peace talks was reached in mid-June, an incident was reported on average every 2-3 days.
Incidents during this period accounted for 16 deaths and 19 injuries and were recorded throughout the Gulf, both east and west of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as off the coasts of Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
As peace talks continued until around 7 July, the rate fell by half to an average of one incident every 4-6 days.
No seafarers or other workers were reported killed, missing or injured during this period.
Four of the five incidents during this period were concentrated off the Omani coast around the strait’s narrowest point, along a route not authorised by Iranian authorities.
Iran, which hopes to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz after the war and charge fees for passage, had warned vessels against using the alternative route.
Since the talks collapsed, the rate has risen almost to pre-talks levels, with an incident recorded on average every 2-8 days.
Four seafarers or workers have been killed, 16 injured and one reported missing as a result.
