**No Ships Cross Strait of Hormuz for the First Time Since the Middle East Conflict Began** A significant milestone has been reached in the ongoing Middle East conflict, with no ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to recent data from maritime analytics firm Windward. This marks the first time since the conflict began that no commercial vessels have passed through the waterway in either direction. The data, which tracks maritime traffic, reveals that the usual average of 2.57 ships passing through the Strait each day dropped to zero on Saturday. While this is a notable development, it's worth noting that around 400 ships were still sailing in the Gulf of Oman on Friday. Windward suggests that the absence of ships in the Strait of Hormuz may be due to vessels holding position outside the waterway, possibly reflecting expectations that the corridor may reopen in the future. This theory is supported by the fact that a small number of ships, linked to Pakistan and Turkey, were able to pass through the Strait on Friday under special circumstances. The conflict in the Middle East has caused significant disruptions to global shipping routes. As a result, traffic around the Cape of Good Hope has increased, while flows through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa have remained stable. However, transits through the Suez Canal have dropped sharply. Nigerian readers may be interested to know that the impact of the Middle East conflict on global shipping routes has significant implications for the country's economy. Nigeria relies heavily on imported goods, which are often transported through the Strait of Hormuz. Any disruption to these routes can have a ripple effect on the country's supply chain and trade. As the situation in the Middle East continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how long the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to commercial traffic. One thing is certain, however: the conflict has caused significant disruptions to global shipping routes, with far-reaching consequences for countries like Nigeria that rely on imported goods.