Back

Hormuz Strait Traffic Rises as More Vessels Turn Off AIS Signals

According to Lloyd’s List and Iranian media, Strait of Hormuz traffic has risen from recent lows but remains below normal as Iran says friendly ships may transit with military coordination until instability ends.

Fact Check
All three core elements of the claim are well-supported by authoritative sources. First, Lloyd's List Intelligence (via the LinkedIn briefing) confirms Hormuz traffic rose from lows (Week 13 at 48 transits, up from 34 in Week 12) while remaining 90%+ below pre-war normal of ~138 daily transits — consistent with 'risen from recent lows but remains below normal.' Second, the claim correctly attributes this to Lloyd's List and Iranian media: Lloyd's List is the primary tracker cited, and Iranian state media (Odaily/481356, May 14) confirms ~30 ships transited with Tehran's permission. Third, Iran's condition that friendly ships may transit with military coordination until instability ends is confirmed by Reuters (April 17 IRGC coordination requirement) and Odaily/481870 (May 16, Iran says shipping returns to normal after instability ends). The AIS signal-switching behavior is also confirmed by UANI and Lloyd's List data showing 66 dark transits. The claim is an accurate synthesis of the situation as of mid-May 2026.
Summary

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has increased from recent lows, but daily vessel movements remain below the pre-conflict norm of about 130 ships, according to Lloyd’s List. The outlet also reported that more vessels are disabling AIS tracking signals during transit and that tanker owners are preparing for prolonged disruption as regional risk remains elevated. Iran’s foreign minister said in New Delhi on the 15th that the strait remains open to friendly commercial ships, provided passage is coordinated with Iran’s military and excludes hostile countries. Iranian state media separately reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said about 30 ships had passed through the strait with Tehran’s permission since Wednesday night, and that transit is expected to return to normal once the unstable situation ends. Because the waterway carries roughly 20% of global oil and gas supply, these developments remain significant for shipping, energy, and financial markets.

Terms & Concepts
  • Strait of Hormuz: A narrow maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to global shipping lanes and one of the world’s most important routes for oil and gas transport.
  • AIS (automatic identification system): A ship-tracking system that broadcasts a vessel’s position and movement for maritime safety and monitoring.
  • Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: Iran’s elite military force, often referred to as the IRGC, with a major role in national security and regional operations.