Hormuz Traffic Falls to 10% of Prewar Levels as Shipping Industry Deems Passage Too Risky
Updated
Updated · Breaking Defense · Aug 3
Hormuz Traffic Falls to 10% of Prewar Levels as Shipping Industry Deems Passage Too Risky
3 articles · Updated · Breaking Defense · Aug 3
Summary
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is running at about 10% of prewar levels, leaving roughly 500 merchant ships stranded in the Gulf despite some vessels still getting through.
Shipping owners, insurers and crews have effectively kept the waterway mostly shut by judging US protection inadequate after attacks by drones and speedboats and the continued threat from mines.
The disruption was significant enough for President Donald Trump to rescind orders for a massive military strike while talks continue on fully reopening the chokepoint.
The report argues the failure is broader than battlefield defense: US and allied forces have protected warships and blocked Iranian shipping, but have not restored commercial confidence needed to normalize transit.
Five months into the war, the near-closure of a route critical to global energy and trade is portrayed as a strategic and economic setback that could force a rethink of US naval doctrine.