Strait of Hormuz as a Global Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil transit chokepoint, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and ultimately the Arabian Sea. It is approximately 167 km long, with navigable channels only 3.7 km wide at its narrowest usable passage. The strait is flanked by Iran to the north and the Musandam Peninsula (shared by Oman and UAE) to the south. Iran controls strategic islands in the strait including Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, Abu Musa, Qeshm, and Hormuz island, giving it effective oversight of traffic.
- In 2025, approximately 20 million barrels per day (mb/d) of crude oil and petroleum products passed through the strait — about 25% of global seaborne oil trade.
- 84% of crude and condensate moving through Hormuz went to Asian markets in 2024; China, India, Japan, and South Korea collectively accounted for 69% of all Hormuz crude flows.
- Only Saudi Arabia and the UAE have bypass pipelines, with a combined capacity of only 3.5–5.5 mb/d — far below normal Hormuz throughput.
- There is no alternative sea route; vessels rerouting via Cape of Good Hope add 10–14 days per voyage.
● Tracked since March 21, 2026 · last seen April 27, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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