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Strait of Hormuz Traffic Fades to a Crawl
Markets Await the Outcome of Talks Between the U.S. and Iran
Key Takeaways:
- Only a handful of ships are moving through the Strait, with some vessels pausing mid-voyage — highlighting erratic, stop‑start flows.
- Uncertainty around U.S.-Iran talks and broader regional tensions is preventing a clear reopening timeline.
- Signal interference and ships “going dark,” along with a U.S.-led blockade redirecting more than 100 vessels, are obscuring true traffic levels and reshaping trade routes.
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz dwindled to only a few mostly Iran-linked vessels crossing on May 27, underscoring the stop-start nature of traffic through the world’s most vital energy chokepoint.
Just two ships were observed transiting into the Persian Gulf, while a Chinese fuel tanker apparently paused midway on its voyage out, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The slowdown comes a day after two international oil supertankers exited the waterway in a small flurry of energy outflows.
The fluctuation comes as markets await the outcome of talks between the U.S. and Iran to end a conflict that has brought the Strait of Hormuz to a near-complete closure. The U.S. denied an Iranian state television report on a draft interim deal that said maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could return to normal within a month.
President Donald Trump recently said U.S.-Iran talks to extend their ceasefire were “proceeding nicely.” But ensuring free transit through the strait remains an elusive goal, while Israel’s escalating campaign in Lebanon threatens to derail the fragile diplomacy.
An Iran-linked container vessel and a small Chinese bulk carrier trailed the two supertankers to exit the Gulf on May 26. By May 27, no vessels managed to exit as the outbound journey of the Hua Lin Wan came to a standstill after clearing Iran’s Larak Island.
A blockade targeting Iranian shipping in the Gulf of Oman is actively altering regional trade routes, with U.S. military officials stating May 27 that 109 commercial ships have been forced to redirect since mid-April.
Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours.
I'm still seeing a lot of AIS turned off, but no material visible traffic flow from satellite providers either.
Source: @MarineTraffic pic.twitter.com/kr5X06Rm3L — HFI Research (@HFI_Research) May 27, 2026
Inbound traffic on May 26 included a Greek oil product tanker, a China-linked liquefied petroleum gas tanker and three Iran-linked fuel carriers. In contrast, May 27 saw only two inbound containerships, one of which has ties to Iran.
Widespread interference with signals on the industry’s Automatic Identification System continues to cloud the picture, making independent verification of ship traffic difficult. As a result, transit counts may later be revised upward when vessels reappear further from high-risk waters.
The U.S. naval presence may also be distorting the observations. Iran-linked vessels entering or leaving the Gulf could be switching off AIS signals to avoid detection, making it harder to track flows in real time.
Even before the U.S. barred movement to and from Iranian ports, it was common for Iran-linked vessels to “go dark” when approaching Hormuz. Signals were often not restored until well into the Strait of Malacca — around 13 days’ sailing from Iran’s Kharg Island.
