What cargo ships cross the Strait of Hormuz?

Only a small number of cargo ships and tankers, mostly Iranian, have managed to cross the Strait of Hormuz since Iranian forces restricted access to this crucial trade route.

Here are data and statistics on vessels that have crossed the 167-kilometer strait since the start of the war, triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.

95 percent drop in maritime traffic

From March 1 to March 19, cargo carriers made only 116 crossings, according to analysis firm Kpler, a 95 percent drop compared with peacetime levels. Among these crossings, 71 were by tankers, more than half of them loaded, according to Kpler data. Most of these ships sailed east.

“Traffic is mainly handled by bulk carriers, tankers and container ships,” said Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of Lloyd’s List, a maritime publication, during a press briefing Thursday. “However, we have seen a slight increase in the number of LNG carriers in circulation last week.”

Iranian, Greek and Chinese ships

Most of the ships crossing the strait are Iranian or sail under the Iranian flag, said Bridget Diakun, an analyst at Lloyd’s List Intelligence. In recent days, Greek ships accounted for 18 percent of crossings and Chinese vessels for 10 percent, she said Thursday.

“Although Iran continues to control the strait and export its oil, traffic overall remains at a standstill,” Meade said.

45 ships under sanctions

Since the beginning of the conflict, more than a third of the ships transiting the strait have been subject to U.S., European or British sanctions, according to an AFP analysis of passage data. More than half of the tankers and LNG carriers were under sanctions.

Since March 16, “any ship heading west belongs to the shadow fleet, whether LNG carriers or tankers … they largely dominate traffic,” Diakun said at the briefing.

Oil bound for China

According to a report published Monday by JPMorgan, commodity analysts say most of the oil transiting the strait is destined for Asia, primarily China.

Cichen Shen, Asia-Pacific editor at Lloyd’s List, said there is evidence that Chinese authorities are working on an exit plan for large tankers stranded in the region.

1.3 million barrels of Iranian oil

JPMorgan analysts said 98 percent of observable oil traffic in the strait was of Iranian origin, averaging 1.3 million barrels per day in early March. In peacetime, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait.

Indian and Pakistani ships

“It appears that some ships are transiting with ‘approval’ from Iran, some taking a route closer to the Iranian coast than usual,” notably Indian and Pakistani vessels, maritime consulting firm Clarksons said in a note.

“Several governments, including China, as well as India, Pakistan, Iraq and Malaysia, are in direct talks with Tehran to coordinate ship transits” with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Meade said.

Lloyd’s List reported that at least nine ships have used a “corridor” apparently approved by Iran near Larak Island off the Iranian coast, where they are inspected by Iranian authorities.