The Strait of Hormuz, just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, is a vital waterway connecting the region’s biggest oil producers to the rest of the world.
Normally, more than a hundred ships cross the strait in a given day, but after conflict broke out this past weekend, shipping nearly ground to a halt, according to MarineTraffic data. Bordered by Iran, passing ships can be vulnerable to attack.
As of Monday, ship traffic through the strait was down more than 80%, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
The southern end of the strait borders with Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
Write to Peter Champelli at peter.champelli@wsj.com and Costas Paris at costas.paris@wsj.com
