Nearly 90 Vessels Navigate Hormuz Strait Despite Iran War, Oil Exports Continue

Maritime data shows approximately 90 ships, including oil tankers, have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran conflict began. Despite the ongoing war and threats to close the critical waterway, Iran has managed to export over 16 million barrels of oil since early March.

Maritime tracking data reveals that nearly 90 vessels, including numerous oil tankers, have successfully navigated through the Strait of Hormuz since the current Iran conflict began, even as the critical waterway remains largely disrupted.

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a maritime data company, many of these vessels conducted what experts call “dark” passages – operations designed to avoid Western sanctions and monitoring systems, with suspected connections to Iran. Recent crossings have also included ships linked to India and Pakistan following diplomatic negotiations between those nations and Iran.

The conflict has driven crude oil prices beyond $100 per barrel, prompting President Donald Trump to urge allies and trading partners to deploy naval vessels and help reopen the strait in an effort to reduce energy costs.

The Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital corridor for global petroleum and natural gas shipments, handling approximately one-fifth of worldwide crude oil supplies. Since the war’s start in early March, most commercial shipping through the waterway has ceased, with roughly 20 vessels suffering attacks in the region.

Despite these challenges, trade analytics company Kpler estimates that Iran has successfully exported more than 16 million barrels of oil since March began. China has emerged as the primary purchaser of Iranian crude due to Western sanctions and associated shipping risks.

“There has been continued resilience” in Iran’s oil export volumes, noted Ana Subasic, a trade risk analyst with Kpler.

Kun Cao, client director at consulting firm Reddal, explained that Iran has managed to generate revenue from petroleum sales while also “preserve its own export artery” through its strategic control of this maritime chokepoint.

Maritime traffic information supports the oil export estimates from Iran.

Between March 1 and 15, at least 89 ships traversed the Strait of Hormuz, including 16 oil tankers, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. This represents a significant decline from the pre-war daily average of 100 to 135 vessel passages. More than 20% of these 89 ships were believed to have Iranian connections, while vessels from China and Greece comprised much of the remaining traffic.

Additional vessels have also managed successful crossings.

The Pakistan-flagged oil tanker Karachi, operated by Pakistan National Shipping Corp., completed its passage through the strait on Sunday, Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported.

Shariq Amin, a spokesperson for Pakistan Port Trust, declined to confirm or deny the MT Karachi’s specific route but stated the vessel would arrive safely in Pakistan soon.

Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers, the Shivalik and Nanda Devi, both operated by state-owned Shipping Corp. of India, also crossed the strait around March 13 or 14, maritime data shows. LPG serves as the primary cooking fuel for millions of Indian families.

India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, confirmed to the Financial Times that the two ships were permitted passage following discussions with Iran. Iraq has also initiated talks with Iran seeking permission for Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to state media reports.

“Vessels may be transiting with at least some level of diplomatic intervention,” explained Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of Lloyd’s List. This suggests Iran may have “effectively created a safe corridor” allowing certain ships to pass near the Iranian coastline.

Earlier analysis from ship tracking platform MarineTraffic found that some vessels near the strait had identified themselves as China-linked or claimed all-Chinese crews to minimize attack risks. Experts believe these ships were leveraging China’s stronger diplomatic relationship with Iran.

Oil prices have surged more than 40% to exceed $100 per barrel since the Iran war commenced, with Iran threatening it will not permit “even a single liter of oil” bound for the United States, Israel, or their allies to pass through the waterway.

In an effort to stabilize energy prices, the United States announced it would permit Iranian oil tankers to cross the strait. “The Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we’ve let that happen to supply the rest of the world,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Monday.

While the U.S. conducted bombing operations against military installations on Kharg Island off Iran’s coast – a crucial hub for the country’s oil network and exports – President Trump indicated he has avoided targeting Iran’s oil infrastructure for now.

Recent vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz demonstrate the waterway is not completely “closed,” Cao observed. “It is better understood as closed selectively against some traffic, while still functioning for Iranian exports and a narrow set of tolerated non-Iranian movements,” he explained.

However, Dutch bank ING strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey warned in a research note that if Iran’s strategy is to “inflict pain through higher energy prices, the number of tankers it allows through the Strait of Hormuz may be very limited.”