Strait of Hormuz
Strategic 33 km chokepoint between Iran and the Gulf; 20% of global oil traded here before Iran's blockade cut traffic 90%.
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Iran turned the world's most critical oil corridor into a toll road. Who pays, who passes, and who is locked out?
Latest on Strait of Hormuz
- Is the Strait of Hormuz closed?
- Effectively yes. Tanker traffic has fallen 90% and 3,000+ vessels are stranded. The IRGC operates a million per vessel toll; only ships with IRGC clearance transit.Source: Lloyd's List Intelligence
- How much oil goes through the Strait of Hormuz?
- Before the conflict, roughly 20 million barrels per day, about 20% of global traded supply. The IEA called the disruption the largest supply shock in oil market history.Source: IEA
- What is the Hormuz toll?
- The IRGC charges up to million per vessel for transit through a 5-mile channel in Iranian territorial waters. Ships are vetted for ownership, cargo and crew nationality. The Majlis is codifying it into domestic law.Source: Lloyd's List Intelligence
- Where is the Strait of Hormuz?
- Between Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. It is 33 km wide at its narrowest point.
- How much do tankers cost to charter now?
- Charter rates have quadrupled to ,000 per day. War-risk premiums on very large crude carriers run between .6 million and million per voyage.Source: event
- Has any country declared an energy emergency over Hormuz?
- Yes. The Philippines became the first country to declare a national energy emergency over the Hormuz disruption, with 45 days of fuel reserves remaining.Source: event
- Can China still ship oil through Hormuz?
- Yes. Chinese tankers transit under a bilateral arrangement. 11.7 million barrels of Iranian oil have been shipped to China since 28 February, all through the strait.Source: TankerTrackers
Background
Within ten days of the war's start, tanker traffic fell 90% and 3,000+ vessels were stranded across Middle Eastern waterways. The IRGC then evolved from total blockade to selective commercial control, operating a million per vessel toll through a 5-mile channel in Iranian territorial waters. Ships are hailed on VHF, vetted for ownership, cargo and crew nationality, then charged cash, cryptocurrency or barter. Charter rates have quadrupled to ,000 per day. In 25 days of the conflict, only 142 commercial vessels transited the strait, against 2,652 in the same period the previous year.
The Strait of Hormuz is a 33 km wide chokepoint between Iran, Oman and the UAE, through which roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day (20% of global supply) and 20% of global LNG trade transited before the conflict. The IEA declared the disruption the largest supply shock in oil market history.
President Trump publicly abandoned reopening Hormuz as a war objective on 31 March, telling reporters to "get your own oil." Simultaneously, the Majlis advanced legislation to codify the toll into domestic law; once passed, reversing it requires a domestic political process rather than military pressure. The Philippines declared a national energy emergency with 45 days of fuel reserves remaining. Iran still demands Hormuz sovereignty as one of five counter-conditions to any Ceasefire.
