Hormuz Blockade Enters Third Month as Oil Tanker Traffic Plummets

Key Details The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to most international shipping for nearly three months, with only minimal traffic getting through. A Japan-linked supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi crude managed to exit on April 28, marking the first Japanese-linked vessel to transit since late February. Tehran controls access through approved routes near Iranian islands, while a U.S. Navy blockade has halted most Iranian shipping operations. Why It Matters This waterway previously handled about one-fifth of the world's oil supply plus significant LNG and commodity shipments. The extended closure is pushing global energy markets and forcing alternative routing decisions for affected carriers. Only a handful of non-Iranian vessels have successfully transited in recent days - three bulk carriers, one chemical carrier, one LPG tanker, and one containership since April 28. What's Next Diplomatic efforts continue as President Trump prepares for a prolonged blockade. Iran refuses to reopen the strait or resume negotiations while U.S. naval restrictions remain in place. Vessel tracking is becoming unreliable as Iranian-linked ships switch off automatic identification signals to avoid detection, making actual traffic volumes harder to measure for industry planning purposes.