By Ginika Igboke
The Strait of Hormuz is often described as the jugular vein of the world’s energy supply, and ongoing military tensions have reinforced its strategic importance. As Operation Epic Fury continues, Iran maintains significant control over this vital maritime route, creating disruptions across global energy markets.
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas typically flows through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. However, attacks on commercial vessels since the conflict began on Feb. 28 have brought traffic through the strait to a near standstill.
Data from maritime analytics firm MarineTraffic shows that only about 220 vessels passed through the strait in March, compared to the thousands that normally transit the route each month.
Global Energy Prices Surge
The disruption has driven a sharp increase in energy prices. Brent crude, a key global benchmark, has climbed above $100 per barrel. Although the United States imports relatively little oil directly from the region, global pricing dynamics have pushed average gasoline prices in the country above $4 per gallon.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of potential strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure—including facilities on Kharg Island—if the strait is not reopened. Military action was temporarily delayed to allow time for negotiations.
How Much Oil Passes Through the Strait?
In 2025, an average of 20 million barrels of oil and refined products moved through the Strait of Hormuz each day. This represents about 25 percent of global seaborne oil trade, according to the International Energy Agency.
At its narrowest point, the strait is just 21 miles wide, with shipping lanes only two miles wide in each direction—making it highly vulnerable to disruption.
Where Does the Oil Go?
The vast majority of oil flowing through the strait is destined for Asia. About 91 percent of crude oil and condensate shipments went to Asian markets in the first half of 2025.
China and India alone accounted for roughly half of that volume, receiving 37 percent and 14 percent respectively. Japan and South Korea each took in about 12 percent, while the remaining 16 percent was distributed across other countries in Asia and Oceania.
By contrast, the United States and Europe were relatively minor importers, receiving just 3 percent and 4 percent of the total, respectively.
Key Suppliers and Trade Flows
Most of the crude oil transported through the strait originates from a handful of Gulf producers. Saudi Arabia accounts for 38 percent of shipments, followed by Iraq at 22 percent and the United Arab Emirates at 14 percent. Iran contributes about 11 percent.
The strait is also a crucial route for liquefied natural gas (LNG), handling nearly 20 percent of global trade. Qatar dominates this segment, supplying about 93 percent of LNG volumes passing through the waterway.
Asia receives nearly 90 percent of LNG shipments, with Europe taking just over 10 percent.
Global Dependence on Gulf Energy
Many countries rely heavily on energy supplies routed through the Strait of Hormuz. In Asia, nations such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan depend on the strait for nearly two-thirds of their LNG imports.
Japan, South Korea, and India each sourced at least half of their oil and gas imports from Gulf nations in 2024, while China relied on the region for about 35 percent of its supplies.
Taiwan imported 40 percent of its energy from the Gulf, and Pakistan sourced more than 81 percent of its oil and gas from the region.
In Africa, countries including Mauritania, Uganda, and Kenya also depend significantly on Gulf energy, with more than half of their fuel imports coming from the region.
Meanwhile, nearly all of Iran’s oil and gas exports through the strait in 2024—about 96 percent—were directed to a single destination: Pakistan.
In Europe, countries such as Greece, Lithuania, and Poland sourced roughly one-third of their energy imports from Gulf producers.
North America, however, remains less dependent. The United States received about 10 percent of its oil imports from the Gulf, while Canada imported around 5 percent.
Limited Alternatives to the Strait
Despite efforts to diversify export routes, alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz remain limited.
Saudi Arabia operates an east–west pipeline capable of transporting up to 5 million barrels per day to the Red Sea, with a maximum capacity of about 7 million barrels. However, it is already heavily utilized and cannot fully replace maritime shipments.
The United Arab Emirates has developed the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which bypasses the strait, but its capacity is only 1.5 million barrels per day.
For Qatar’s liquefied natural gas exports, there are currently no viable alternative routes.
As a result, the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical single point of failure for global energy markets, with no existing infrastructure capable of matching the volume of oil and gas transported through it.
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