Ship tracking data showed a decline in the number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Friday compared to the start of the week, hours after Iran targeted a Taiwanese vessel. The United Nations shipping agency temporarily suspended its voluntary plan to evacuate hundreds of stranded ships and thousands of sailors from the Gulf after the ship was damaged in the attack, which occurred near the Omani side of the strait.

However, at least four oil tankers, including three very large crude carriers (VLCCs) with a capacity of up to 2 million barrels each, entered the strait, according to ship tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group and MarineTraffic on Friday.

Separate shipping data showed two VLCCs entering the Strait of Hormuz to load Iranian oil, while another tanker left the strait carrying 2 million barrels of oil via the Omani side, according to an analysis by Kpler.

Oil buyers had hoped to secure their inventories after months of disruption caused by the Iran war following a ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, resumed loading operations in the Gulf, paving the way for more supplies. Before the conflict began, the average number of ships sailing daily was around 125.

The kingdom is working to resume oil exports from Ras Tanura in the Arabian Gulf, more than a week after a peace agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at restoring oil flow in the region.

The two Saudi-owned VLCCs, Zain and Emad, are expected to be the first ships to load crude from the kingdom's main export terminal. Automatic tracking signals showed the two tankers moving Thursday morning toward the single-point moorings at Jubail, where they can receive cargoes, after leaving the waiting area.

Data also shows another empty Saudi-owned VLCC anchored near the terminal. The Jubail moorings are part of the larger Ras Tanura complex of oil export facilities. No crude oil tankers had been sighted at Jubail or Ras Tanura since early March, according to satellite imagery analysis. The combined capacity of the two facilities is 12 tankers simultaneously.

Taiwan's Evergreen Marine said on Friday that its vessel was attacked near Oman by an 'unknown object,' after US officials said on Thursday that Iran fired on the ship. The company stated that its vessel was attacked near Oman by an 'unknown object' after US officials told Reuters on Thursday that Iran fired on the ship.

Jacob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at the shipping association, said: 'The attack represents a setback for plans to evacuate ships and resume their transit of the Strait of Hormuz, although some transit is still expected.' He added: 'This situation underscores the need for clear, unambiguous agreements between the United States and Iran on resuming maritime traffic through the strait.'

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday that safe passage through the strait cannot be guaranteed without coordination with Tehran. An analysis by shipping tracker Kpler showed that oil tanker traffic, including crude oil, petroleum products, and chemical tankers, recorded 13 transits on Friday in both directions, compared to 24 on Thursday and 27 on Wednesday, the highest level since before the conflict began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

A separate analysis by AXS Marine, regarding total maritime traffic in both directions of the strait, including dry cargo vessels, showed 62 ships transiting on June 24, the highest daily number since the conflict began. The company explained last week that this figure represents 53% of the traffic recorded on the same day last year. It added: 'Traffic has not yet fully returned to normal.'