Today’s transit count: 18 crude oil tankers and 12 LNG carriers have cleared the Strait of Hormuz under Transit Clearance Certificates. Together with LPG carriers, product tankers, and bulk vessels, total cleared transits stand at 65 for today’s snapshot. Here is what that data tells us about global energy flows — and what it means for operators planning Hormuz passages.
How many ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day?
On an average day in 2026, between 50 and 70 vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz — split roughly 55% outbound (Persian Gulf to Gulf of Oman) and 45% inbound (return or supply voyages). The strait carries approximately 20–21 million barrels of oil per day, equating to around 20% of total global petroleum liquids traded by sea.
The 18 crude oil tankers transiting today at an average cargo of approximately 1 million barrels each represent some 18 million barrels of crude in motion through a corridor 33 kilometres wide at its narrowest navigable point.
Oil tanker traffic — breakdown by class
Of today’s 18 oil tanker transits, the TCA registry shows the following class breakdown:
- VLCC (200,000+ DWT): 7 vessels — primarily Saudi Aramco, ADNOC and Kuwait Petroleum nominations
- Suezmax (120,000–200,000 DWT): 6 vessels
- Aframax (80,000–120,000 DWT): 5 vessels
VLCCs carry the largest single cargoes and pay the highest transit fee — USD 6,200 at today’s Tier 4 rate. They are typically chartered on voyages to East Asia (China, South Korea, Japan, India), which collectively account for the majority of Persian Gulf crude exports.
LNG carrier traffic — 12 transits today
Twelve LNG carriers transited the Strait of Hormuz under clearance today. The majority are on outbound voyages carrying Qatari LNG to Europe and Asia. Qatar Petroleum / QatarEnergy remains the world’s largest single LNG exporter, and the Strait of Hormuz is its primary export route — the Dolphin Gas pipeline to UAE and Oman carries only a fraction of total production.
The 12 LNG transits today are slightly above the 7-day average of 11, consistent with the pattern of elevated LNG demand from European buyers diversifying away from Russian pipeline gas. Large LNG carriers (typically 65,000–180,000 m³ capacity) fall into Tier 3 (USD 4,600) or Tier 4 (USD 6,200) of the transit fee schedule depending on DWT.
LPG traffic and the non-crude energy corridor
LPG and NGL carriers represent the third-largest category of Hormuz transits. Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait all export significant LPG volumes through the strait. At 8 transits today, LPG traffic is tracking at the seasonal average — LPG demand picks up in the northern hemisphere winter as residential heating use increases.
Why vessel count data matters for operators
Daily vessel count data has several practical uses for maritime operators:
- Congestion planning: higher transit counts increase inspection queue times, particularly when patrol activity is elevated. Operators with time-sensitive cargoes should factor queue risk into voyage planning and consider expedited clearance certificates.
- Insurance: war-risk underwriters track vessel count data as a proxy for corridor activity and risk exposure. Elevated counts may affect premium calculations at renewal.
- Freight market signals: a sharp drop in daily transits — particularly if not explained by seasonal factors — is a leading indicator of corridor disruption. Operators and charterers use TCA traffic data alongside AIS data for voyage decision-making.
- Certificate timing: on busy days, standard 48-hour processing windows can become tight for last-minute voyage confirmations. Operators on time-sensitive routes should apply for certificates at least 72 hours before the planned transit.
How to access daily Hormuz traffic data
The Transit Clearance Authority publishes daily vessel count snapshots on the Traffic page. Data is updated every 24 hours and reflects vessels transiting under current TCA certificates. Aggregate data by vessel type and direction is available for free; detailed vessel-level data is available to registered operators on request.