IranStrait of Hormuz — Live Status Monitor
Current status (October 13, 2026 / Day 228): Closed by Iran’s declaration. UKMTO reported another tanker struck by an unknown projectile in the strait on October 13, and the head of the Revolutionary Guard warned that no outside power has the right to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf. Iran calls the US reply to its seven conditions for reopening insufficient but says it is still reviewing it and will answer through intermediaries. Iran and Oman have agreed coordinates for safe transit routes, a framework rather than a reopening. Trump has pledged no US strikes on Iran before November 3.
Real-time tracking of ship transit, oil flow, dual blockade status, carrier suspensions, war-risk insurance, and maritime incidents through the world's most critical energy chokepoint. Data sourced from AIS maritime feeds, Lloyd's war risk indices, UKMTO advisories, and verified OSINT. This page remains active as a permanent maritime intelligence asset beyond the current conflict.
Normal vs Current Flow
Strait Geography
Strait of Hormuz — Intelligence Briefing
Is the Strait of Hormuz open today?
No. As of October 13, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz is closed by Iran's declaration and policed by the IRGC Navy, and it is no longer the only chokepoint at risk: Houthi forces seized Perim Island and Mocha at the Bab el-Mandeb in September (Saudi-backed Yemeni forces said on October 5 they had retaken Mocha) and say navigation is safe for all companies except Saudi vessels, while Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline to the Red Sea, shut on September 11 after drone attacks from Iraq, was reported to have resumed exports after repairs on September 28. The United States rejects the closure, maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports that has redirected 100 vessels, says the main lane is cleared of mines, and has destroyed eight Iranian tankers since September 5. Traffic remains roughly 90 percent below pre-war levels and Brent is above $100.
How much oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz?
Under normal conditions, approximately 20–21 million barrels of oil per day pass through the strait — roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids. During the Iran blockade, this dropped to near zero for US-allied shipping, driving Brent crude above $116/barrel and triggering global energy emergency declarations.
How many ships pass through Hormuz per day?
Under normal conditions, 15–20 large tankers transit daily alongside LNG carriers, container ships, and naval vessels — totalling 35–50 commercial vessels per day. During the blockade, commercial tanker transit collapsed to near zero as Lloyd's war risk insurance premiums made transit commercially unviable at over 5% of vessel value.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz important?
The Strait is the world's most critical maritime chokepoint. It connects the Persian Gulf — home to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, and Iran's oil fields — to global shipping lanes. Any disruption causes immediate global energy price spikes, supply shortages, and economic cascades across oil-importing nations.
What happened to Hormuz in 2026?
Iran imposed a selective blockade on February 28, 2026, at the war’s start, and the US imposed a parallel naval blockade of Iranian ports on April 13, creating a dual blockade that largely closed the channel to normal traffic and drove a global energy shock. Under the US-Iran memorandum signed June 17 both blockades were lifted and the strait reopened on June 18-19. The reopening did not last: the ceasefire collapsed over shipping on July 7-8, the US reinstated its blockade of Iranian ports in mid-July, and Iran declared the strait closed again. Since September a tanker war has kept traffic at a fraction of pre-war levels, and as of October 13, 2026 the strait remains closed by Iranian declaration.
What is the war risk insurance rate for Hormuz?
War-risk premiums surged from roughly 0.05% of vessel value before the war to over 5% during the spring blockade — a 100-fold increase that priced most commercial traffic out of the strait. Premiums were expected to ease after the June reopening, but the collapse of the ceasefire in July and the tanker war since September, with ships struck or threatened almost daily, have kept the strait a wartime risk, and many owners avoid it altogether.
