‘Strait of Hormuz traffic’: How many ships are crossing through it?
Daily traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted from 138 ships to a trickle, leaving 800 vessels stranded. As the US enforces a naval blockade on Iranian ports, commercial tankers are forced to dodge lethal sea mines hugging the coastline.
Strait of Hormuz Traffic
Before the conflict began on 28 February, an average of 138 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center. Now, media reports that only 23 vessels have transited the waterway since peace talks collapsed on Sunday.
The 800 Stranded Ships
The prolonged disruption has created a massive maritime backlog, with nearly 800 commercial ships stuck in the region for several weeks. Maritime experts state that clearing these fully loaded, stranded tankers will be the absolute priority if regular crossings resume.
Dodging the Minefields
To avoid drifting sea mines, vessels are completely altering their traditional navigational paths. Tracking data reveals that ships now take a northern route hugging the Iranian coastline, abandoning the standard southerly channel through the middle of the waterway.
The US Naval Blockade
US Central Command officially initiated a naval blockade against Iranian ports on Monday at 14:00 GMT. While US forces promise not to impede vessels travelling to non-Iranian destinations, the operation explicitly targets ships attempting to pay illegal transit tolls to Tehran.
A Stern Presidential Warning
President Donald Trump ordered the blockade after accusing Iran of intentionally failing to reopen the critical shipping lane. He issued a severe military warning, stating the US Navy will "blow to hell" any Iranian forces that attack American or peaceful commercial vessels.
A Fleet of Iranian Targets
Despite the American blockade, a small fraction of regional traffic continues to move. Of the 23 vessels tracked since Sunday, at least 16 fly the Iranian flag, link directly to an Iranian port, or face official international sanctions.
Clearing the Chokepoint
The International Chamber of Shipping warns that unmapped explosives remain the primary threat to resuming normal trade. To eliminate this hazard, the US Navy deployed the heavily armed destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen and USS Michael Murphy to sweep and clear the IRGC minefields.
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