Shipping Disruption
The 2026 Hormuz closure caused an unprecedented collapse in maritime traffic. Within days of Feb 28, tanker traffic fell ~70%; by early March it fell to near-zero. Over 150 ships anchored outside the strait; 230 loaded oil tankers were stranded inside the Gulf by April. Major carriers Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd suspended all Strait and Red Sea operations. Rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope added 10–15 transit days. Cruise ships also stopped using the strait, stranding 15,000 passengers on 6 major ships. Houthi attacks on the Red Sea simultaneously closed the alternative Suez Canal route.
Connections
- Strait of Hormuz — closed waterway
- Iran IRGC — enforced the closure
- Oil Price Impact — direct market consequence
- Cape of Good Hope — alternative routing