The Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical energy corridors—remains severely disrupted as of 13 March 2026 following the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The crisis began on 28 February 2026, when Iran warned vessels not to transit the strait after military strikes on its territory. Within days, attacks on commercial ships and the deployment of naval mines triggered a sharp drop in maritime traffic through the waterway.
Vessels which have passed safely within last 24- 48 hours
Iran allowed the vessel Rozana (Turkish Flag) to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on 13 March 2026, making it one of the first approved crossings during the crisis.
Two Indian tankers were also reported to have transited safely:
Pushpak – crude tanker
Parimal – crude tanker
We have not heard of any vessel attacked today on 13th march. Situation is getting eased out.
Shipping lines actions
Vessels have started to berth at the new routes recently opened by DP World to Jebel port – Fujairah port and Khor Fakkan port
SSL Godavari (Indian Flag vessel) will reach Khor Fakkan on 15th March and is carrying only reefer containers from Mundra.
MSC TIA V (Panams Flag vessel) will berth at Nhava Sheva port on 17th March and will directly sail to Khor Fakkan.
Other Chinese vessels are also expected to pass through Jebel Ali.
There is a ray of hope for supply side.
Current situation of vessel passage
Shipping activity in the strait has collapsed compared with normal levels.
Normally ~100 cargo vessels transit the strait daily.
Since early March, only around 13 ships per day have been able to pass on average.
There has been attack on several ships and presently many ships which are were attacked in the strait, fumes can be seen from far. We have mentioned these details in our earliest posts.
The disruption has also created a massive backlog:
More than 700 tankers are waiting on both sides of the strait. Around 20,000 sea fearers are waiting both sides.
About 10% of the global container fleet has been caught up in Gulf congestion.
Some ships have received limited clearance to transit the strait, but most remain anchored while governments negotiate security arrangements.
Strategic importance of the waterway
The strait is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
Around 20 million barrels of oil per day move through the passage.
That represents roughly 20–27% of global seaborne oil trade.
About 3,000 vessels transit the strait each month under normal conditions.
Major exporters using this route include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Iran and Kuwait, which together account for more than 90% of the oil shipments passing through the corridor.
On the demand side, Asian economies are the most dependent. China and India together receive a significant share of crude exports transiting the strait.
Energy and shipping market impact
The disruption has already had a global impact:
Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel during the crisis.
Insurance premiums for ships transiting the region increased four- to six-fold due to security risks.
Several shipping companies have suspended sailings through the Gulf until security conditions improve.
The conflict has also triggered missile and drone attacks on vessels and forced naval forces to consider escort operations for tankers moving through the area.
Despite the severe disruption, Iran’s representatives say the strait will not be permanently closed, although tensions remain high and its in news that Iran has said to fight till the crude oil price rises to USD 200/per crude oil barrel.
For global logistics, the situation remains fragile. If the conflict continues, the Strait of Hormuz crisis could become the largest energy supply disruption since the 1970s oil shock, reshaping tanker routes, freight rates, and global energy flows in the months ahead.
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