Cargo vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on the weekend dropped to fewer than 10 ships per day, far below the 10-day average.

Based on initial vessel-tracking data, during the weekend four ships exited the strait from the Persian Gulf and 10 ships entered.

The figures do not include vessels that pass through the strait by turning off their automatic identification system.

The U.S. government has repeatedly said that a significant volume of crude oil passes through the strait under the protection of forces from this country and secretly.

Chris Wright, U.S. energy secretary, said last week that the seven-day average transit was “slightly more than 9 million barrels per day.”