Hormuz Commercial Traffic Vanishes After 2nd Round of US Strikes
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 28
Hormuz Commercial Traffic Vanishes After 2nd Round of US Strikes
5 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 28
No commercial vessels were seen transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning, leaving one of the world's key oil chokepoints effectively deserted.
A second round of US strikes against Iranian military targets this week drove tensions higher, prompting merchant operators to avoid the waterway.
Ship-tracking data showed traffic had already slowed sharply on Wednesday, with just six two-way crossings recorded.
One of those six movements was a Turkish Suezmax entering the Persian Gulf to load cargo, underscoring how limited commercial activity had become.
Is the Hormuz crisis creating an opening for China and Russia to control global supply chains?
With fertilizer costs soaring, will the Hormuz shutdown spark a global food crisis next?
Can diplomacy end the three-month war, or will the world's most vital waterway remain closed indefinitely?
Strait of Hormuz Blockade 2026: Global Energy Collapse, Economic Shock, and the New Maritime Crisis
Overview
As of May 28, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz is a highly militarized and unstable maritime corridor, with a near-total halt to commercial shipping due to the ongoing US blockade and persistent vessel attacks. This has severely strained Iran’s finances and created major risks for maritime operations. Shipping companies now face complex requirements for routes and permits, while visibility and verification challenges—driven by electronic warfare and 'dark shipping'—make navigation even harder. The result is a profound disruption to normal shipping, highlighting the vulnerability of global trade to chokepoint crises and the urgent need for coordinated international solutions.