Tracking traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, in maps and charts

By Lou Robinson, Byron Manley, Koko Nakajima, CNN

(CNN) — Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is slowly picking up with 34 recorded crossings yesterday, according to Marine Traffic data, this is still far from the pre-war average of around 100 daily crossings.

Tehran effectively closed the strait during the conflict, so its reopening is a key part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the United States and Iran and the ongoing negotiations for further steps toward peace. The US-Iran agreement signed on June 17 said that commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz would “immediately start.”

CNN is tracking the strait’s traffic volumes in maps and charts.

Despite traffic picking up, security concerns remain. The Joint Maritime Information Center said Tuesday “the maritime security threat level for the Strait of Hormuz has been raised to SUBSTANTIAL, with additional mine risk persisting and clearance operations ongoing.”

Commercial shipping vessels transit the strait through both a southern Omani corridor and a northern Iranian-controlled route.

Under the MOU, the United States has until July 19 to fully lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iran is expected to make its “best efforts” to restore traffic to pre-war levels over that same period.

Since a US-imposed blockade was officially lifted two weeks ago, Iran has exported roughly 50 million barrels of crude oil, according to an analysis by TankerTrackers, while other gulf countries have struggled to move their own exports. Before the war, around 20% of global oil production flowed through the waterway.

Left unaddressed in the agreement is whether Iran will ultimately retain control over the strait. Ships will be able to travel toll-free for “60 days only” while Iran and its Gulf neighbors work out a new arrangement for the strait — meaning Iran could be allowed to impose fees.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

—CNN’s Oliver Sherwood, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Zachary B. Wolf contributed to this report.