David de Carteret said the temporary closure of the Channel Islands-Weymouth route was one of the main reasons for the 14% drop in numbers.

BBC: Jersey ferry passenger numbers down due to route closure

Condor Ferries moved its Channel Island sailings from Weymouth to Poole in February after structural problems forced the closure of Weymouth Quay.

BBC: Weymouth ferry terminal repair works begin

Furthermore, the general ratcheting up of diplomatic tensions between the West and Iran over the republic's nuclear ambitions raises fears of a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important shipping channel for oil deliveries.

WSJ: Oil's Tug of War Is Poised to Continue