Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman. Roughly a fifth of all the oil the world uses — and a big share of its liquefied natural gas — travels through it on ships. If traffic here drops suddenly, oil supply problems usually follow, which is why this page watches it daily.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz this week is running 93% below its pre-strikes (early 2026) pace.
Ships per day (7-day average)
4ships
−92.9% vs pre-strikes
as of 30 August 2026
Newest daily count
6ships
as of 30 August 2026
Pre-strikes level (90-day avg, before Feb 22 2026)
61ships
Comparisons on this page are measured against the 90 days before 22 February 2026 — shortly before US strikes on Iran began and Hormuz transits collapsed — rather than a rolling recent window, so the comparison stays honest as time passes instead of quietly comparing the post-strikes period with itself.
Ships passing per day — since January 2025
How many large ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz that day — about a fifth of the world's oil ships through here, so a sudden drop is an early warning that oil supply is being disrupted.
Daily satellite-based estimates; the most recent few days are often revised.
- Source:
- IMF PortWatch
- Newest data point:
- 30 August 2026
- Last checked:
- 8 September 2026
- Updates:
- daily
- Confidence:
- medium
The long view — monthly average since 2019
The same data averaged by month, so you can compare today with the COVID shock of 2020 and the 2022 energy crisis.
Monthly average of daily data. IMF PortWatch history begins in 2019 — earlier years aren't available.
- Source:
- IMF PortWatch
- Newest data point:
- 30 August 2026
- Last checked:
- 8 September 2026
- Updates:
- daily
- Confidence:
- medium
How to read this
- Day-to-day wiggles are normal — weather, holidays, and port schedules move the number around.
- What matters is a sustained drop over a week or more, especially in tankers.
- These are satellite-based estimates by the IMF's PortWatch project, not official counts, and recent days get revised.
- A drop here doesn't prove any particular cause — it's a warning light, not a verdict.
Common questions
Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter for oil prices?
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman that roughly a fifth of the world's oil, and a large share of its liquefied natural gas, travels through by ship. A sustained drop in shipping traffic here has historically preceded oil supply problems, which is why it's tracked daily.
How is ship traffic through Hormuz measured?
This site uses satellite-based ship-tracking estimates from the IMF's PortWatch project, which counts ships passing daily. These are estimates of activity, not official government counts, and the most recent few days are often revised as more satellite data comes in.
Does a drop in Hormuz traffic always mean a supply problem?
Not necessarily on its own. Day-to-day changes are normal — weather, holidays, and port scheduling all move the count. What matters is a sustained drop over a week or more, especially in oil and gas tankers specifically — a reason to investigate, not a standalone conclusion.