Iran-Linked Ships Dominate 3 Hormuz Transits as Daily Traffic Falls to 8
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 18
Iran-Linked Ships Dominate 3 Hormuz Transits as Daily Traffic Falls to 8
10 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 18
Three vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning, and all were tied to Iran, according to Bloomberg tracking data.
Daily traffic had already thinned over the weekend, dropping from about 11 transits on Saturday to eight on Sunday, leaving the waterway effectively closed to most commercial shipping.
Only two notable non-Iranian movements were seen on Sunday: the empty South Korean-linked supertanker Aram inbound and the Saudi-managed LPG carrier Al Barrah outbound.
Iran is also offering a Bitcoin-backed insurance program to shipping companies willing to use the route, underscoring how sharply foreign participation has fallen in one of the world's key oil chokepoints.
Can Iran's Bitcoin insurance break the US blockade and upend control of the world's most vital oil chokepoint?
With the global oil supply choked, is the world on the brink of a wider war over the Strait of Hormuz?
Strait of Hormuz Crisis 2026: Blockade, Iranian Control, and the Global Oil Shock
Overview
As of May 2026, the Strait of Hormuz is at the center of global tension and economic disruption, following over a month of conflict between the U.S. and Iran. A fragile two-week ceasefire is in place, but it is set to expire soon, with negotiations remaining uncertain. The United States has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and military leaders are prepared to resume combat if talks fail. This tense environment has led to suppressed shipping traffic and heightened risks, making the region highly sensitive to any changes in enforcement or diplomatic progress.