Key facts
- Vessels are violating the US-imposed blockade on Iranian ports.
- Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is overwhelmingly controlled by Iran.
- Nine vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz since the US blockade was reimposed on July 14.
- Most commercial vessels are using the Iranian-favored northern transit route.
- Iran-flagged vessels were the most common crossing the waterway on July 20.
Vessels are continuing to violate the US-imposed blockade on Iranian ports, with commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remaining overwhelmingly controlled by Iran, despite US officials' claims to the contrary. The US Central Command (Centcom) reported redirecting seven commercial vessels and disabling one to prevent ships from leaving or entering Iranian ports as of July 20.
US President Donald Trump stated that the blockade was like a "steel wall" and that no ships were getting through. However, data from vessel tracking service Vortexa indicates that nine vessels departing or heading to Iran ports have transited the Strait of Hormuz since the US blockade was reimposed on July 14. Six of these were empty inbound tankers with a combined carrying capacity of approximately 2.35 million barrels of crude and refined products.
Commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have predominantly used the Iranian-favored northern transit route, following an increase in attacks on vessels using the southern traffic lane along the coast of Oman. According to data from vessel tracking firm Windward, out of 11 transits into the Mideast Gulf on July 20, 10 utilized the northern, Iranian-controlled route, while only one transited the southern, US-supported corridor. Of the vessels exiting the Mideast Gulf, three used Iran's northern route and one used the southern route on the same day. Iran-flagged vessels were the most common crossing the waterway, accounting for six out of 15 total transits.
Vessel traffic through the strait remains at around 11% of prewar levels. The UK Trade Maritime Organization noted in an advisory that US-assisted commercial transits continued with fewer ships, reflecting heightened operator risk assessments under the elevated threat environment, and that recent attacks on tankers in Omani waters further influenced operator behavior.