IranStrait of Hormuz — Live Status Monitor
Current status (May 5, 2026): The Strait of Hormuz is contested and not open to normal commercial traffic. The US launched Project Freedom on May 4 — 15,000 personnel, 100+ aircraft, guided-missile destroyers under CENTCOM Adm. Brad Cooper. USS Truxtun (DDG-103) and USS Mason (DDG-87) transited under sustained Iranian barrage of small boats, missiles, and drones; both ships unscathed. Maersk's Alliance Fairfax was the first publicly named commercial transit under US escort. CENTCOM destroyed 7 Iranian fast-attack craft. The IRGC enforces its own closure citing Project Freedom as a ceasefire violation. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues — 49+ ships turned back. The ceasefire is formally in effect but under sustained attack.
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?
As of April 23, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz is not open. Iran briefly declared it open on April 17 during the 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, but reversed within 24 hours. The IRGC now enforces a strict closure with vessel seizures and live fire. The US runs a simultaneous naval blockade of Iranian ports. Current status is tracked in real time above, updated every 2 hours from AIS data.
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. The US imposed a parallel naval blockade of Iranian ports on April 13, creating a structural "dual blockade." On May 4, 2026 (Day 67), the US launched Project Freedom — a major escort operation that successfully transited two destroyers (USS Truxtun and USS Mason) under sustained Iranian barrage. CENTCOM destroyed 7 Iranian fast-attack craft. Maersk's Alliance Fairfax was the first publicly named commercial transit under US escort. Iran retaliated with attacks on UAE infrastructure. The dual blockade remains active and 49+ ships have been turned back.
What is the war risk insurance rate for Hormuz?
War risk premiums surged from ~0.05% to over 5% during peak blockade — a 100-fold increase. After a brief post-ceasefire dip, premiums have surged again following IRGC vessel seizures, live fire incidents, and Maersk declaring the strait "too dangerous and unstable." Current rates are tracked above and updated every 2 hours.