Hormuz Traffic Collapses 95 Percent as Iran Tightens Grip
The near-paralysis of the waterway stems directly from Tehran's retaliatory decision to effectively seal the strait to vessels linked to Washington and Tel Aviv following the joint US-Israeli offensive launched Feb. 28 — a move that has injected acute complexity into global energy logistics.
The numbers are stark. Data from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show that an average of 129 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily between Feb. 1 and 27, the day before the strikes began. That figure cratered to just nine vessels per day throughout March, a 95% collapse in traffic, according to MarineTraffic.
Since March 15, transiting vessels have been largely funneled through a corridor carved within Iranian territorial waters — a route that effectively hands Tehran direct enforcement authority over commercial shipping. Iran has implemented a sweeping documentation regime for any vessel seeking passage, demanding International Maritime Organization (IMO) registration numbers, ownership records, full cargo manifests, declared destinations, and complete crew lists, an industry official told media.
The scrutiny does not stop there. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is conducting sanctions screening, cargo compliance checks with a focus on oil shipments, and what sources describe as a geopolitical review of each vessel. Ship operators are required to route their requests through IRGC-approved intermediaries before receiving clearance.
Diplomatic back-channels have emerged as the primary workaround. China, Pakistan, India, and Thailand have each secured passage rights through direct negotiations with Tehran. Iran reportedly authorized 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to transit at a rate of two per day.
Of the 212 vessels recorded transiting the strait, London-based Lloyd's List Intelligence data reveals that approximately 24% carried Iranian links, 16% were tied to Greece, and 10% to China. Among those making the passage last week were the cargo vessels Bern and Andermatt, both registered under a Greek firm, bound for the Port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates.
A significant share of strait traffic is being driven by sanctioned commercial vessels — commonly referred to as the shadow fleet — which predominantly ferry Iranian oil to Asian buyers. Many of these ships are manipulating their automatic identification system (AIS) broadcasts, transmitting codes such as "Santos food for Iran," or falsely declaring Chinese ownership or pending orders, as signals of safe passage authorization and intended destination.
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