Nearly 100 ships pass the Hormuz Strait - who is getting through?

March 20, 2026

Despite Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, nearly 100 ships have navigated through the Strait of Hormuz since early March, though this represents a dramatic 95% decline from pre-war traffic levels of approximately 138 ships daily. Analysis reveals that roughly one-third of vessels making the crossing have Iranian connections, while others are linked to China and India, with some taking unusual routes hugging Iran's coastline rather than using standard international channels. The altered routes suggest Iran is controlling passage through fear of attack and potential mining, forcing ships into Iranian territorial waters where they may have informal safety agreements with authorities.

Who is affected

Approximately 100 ships and their crews that have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since early March
23 crew members of the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree (3 remain missing, 20 survivors traumatized)
28 crew members of the US-owned MT Safesea Vishnu (1 died, all forced to abandon ship)
Crew members of the Greek-owned Star Gwyneth
Greek shipping companies with vessels docking at Iranian ports
Ships with connections to Iran (14 vessels under Iranian flag, others under sanctions)
Ships owned by Chinese companies and vessels destined for India
Global energy markets and consumers dependent on oil transported through the strait
Commercial shipping industry broadly

What action is being taken

Ships are taking longer routes close to the Iranian coastline rather than through the middle of the strait
Vessels are deliberately switching off their AIS (Automatic Identification System) tracking to evade detection
Shipping analysts at Kpler are manually verifying ship movements using satellite imagery
BBC Verify is analyzing shipping data and tracking vessel movements through the strait
Iranian forces are conducting periodic attacks on shipping using drones, missiles, and fast attack boats

Why it matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, normally carrying one-fifth of the global oil supply with approximately 138 ships passing daily before the conflict. The 95% reduction in traffic represents a severe disruption to global energy supplies and everyday goods transportation. Iran's effective control of the strait through fear of attack and mining forces commercial vessels into its territorial waters, demonstrating how a relatively small nation can exert disproportionate control over critical international trade routes. The transformation of commercial shipping lanes into battle zones puts civilian maritime workers—who are not soldiers but essential to global trade—at serious risk, with fatalities and missing crew already recorded from multiple attacks.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC