The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint that carries roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, is no longer fully closed but remains heavily restricted as a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect Tuesday, allowing selective "safe passage" for approved vessels while thousands of ships sit idle nearby.
As of Wednesday, ship-tracking data showed only about 11 vessels transiting the strait in the past 24 hours — roughly 8% of normal daily traffic of around 60 to 135 ships. Throughput stood at approximately 1.3 million deadweight tons, or 12.1% of average levels, according to real-time monitors. Iran has described the arrangement as a "permission-based" system with "technical limitations" coordinated with its armed forces, effectively acting as a gatekeeper even as tensions ease slightly.
