STRAIT OF HORMUZ — Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz averaged about 10 vessel crossings per day in early April 2026, up from an average of six per day in March, according to Marine Traffic data. The increase followed a U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement, though the daily count remained far below the more than 100 vessels per day that transited the strait before the conflict began on Feb. 28, 2026.

Five bulk carriers transited the strait in the first 24 hours after the ceasefire agreement, and nine vessels passed through on the following Wednesday and Thursday. The strait normally accommodates about 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas supply. During the conflict, Iran attacked several vessels it viewed as connected to the United States or Israel.

Some ships turn off or spoof their GPS trackers during transit, making exact crossing numbers unclear. Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at BIMCO, a shipping industry association, said ships trapped in the Persian Gulf would be interested in leaving as soon as it is safe to do so. He said the shipping industry was awaiting technical details from the U.S. and Iran on how to transit the strait safely.

Iran has said that ships must obtain its permission before transiting the strait and suggested it retains the right to charge a fee for passage. The Iranian navy released a map indicating the strait may have been mined and outlining designated shipping lanes for safe transit. The map directs outbound ships leaving the Persian Gulf to follow a route just south of Larak Island and inbound vessels to follow a route north of the island. A large portion of the strait, including Oman's territorial waters, is designated as "hazardous" on the map.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has imposed a de facto "toll booth" regime in the strait requiring vessels to submit full documentation, obtain clearance codes, and accept IRGC-escorted passage through a single controlled corridor, according to a Lloyd's List Intelligence report. At least two vessels have paid fees in Chinese yuan for passage, according to a maritime research provider, though Iran has not officially implemented a toll. Under a long-term peace deal to reopen the strait, Tehran has indicated it would charge vessels a fee to guarantee safe passage.

Saeed Khatibzadeh, deputy foreign minister of Iran, said that tankers and other vessels must be very careful for their security and safety. Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, said the strait is not open and that access is being restricted, conditioned, and controlled.