By Jonathan Saul and Renee MaltezouLONDON/ATHENS, July 15 (Reuters) - Shipping companies are avoiding using a U.S. military-guided transit scheme through the Strait of Hormuz after a wave of Iranian attacks on vessels sparked safety concerns, seven maritime security and shipping industry sources said.For decades ships sailed into and out of the Gulf using a safe set of lanes down the middle of the strait established by the U.N.’s shipping agency in 1968 dubbed the Traffic Separation Scheme.

SINGAPORE: The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz fell to multi-week lows on Sunday, shipping data showed, as renewed strikes between the US and Iran and attacks…

Following renewed US-Iran fighting, observable ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has halted, replaced by vessels making secret "dark crossings" with transponders off. While the…