Ship Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz Has Virtually Stopped

Shortly after the United States and Israel launched their joint military strikes against Iran on February 28, shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz came to a near standstill. Due to several attacks and repeated threats made against vessels in the region by Iran, the strategic waterway is now virtually closed, with many commercial ships, mostly tankers, anchored outside the strait, waiting for a resolution of the crisis.

According to data from IMF PortWatch, a platform providing real-time data on port and maritime trade activity around the world, an average of six ships per day passed through the Strait of Hormuz between March 1 and March 8, down from an average of around 100 ships per day in February, prior to the escalation of the conflict. Between 50 and 60 percent of the vessels passing through the strait are usually tankers carrying oil and liquefied gas, highlighting its crucial role in global energy trade.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, serving as a gateway for roughly 25 percent of the world’s maritime oil trade. According to the IEA, an average of 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and oil products were shipped through the strait in 2025, with countries like Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain heavily reliant on the Strait of Hormuz to ship their oil exports. Large volumes of liquefied natural gas from major Gulf producers also pass through this narrow corridor, making it indispensable to global energy markets and price stability. The current closure of the strait has resulted in a spike in global oil prices, which could have devastating effects on the global economy if the crisis drags on.