Question 1

How do I track ships in the Strait of Hormuz in real time?

Accepted Answer

Open hormuz.now in any modern browser. The map shows every vessel currently broadcasting AIS in the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Positions refresh automatically every few seconds. Click any vessel to see its name, MMSI, flag, type, speed, course, dimensions and destination.

Question 2

Where is the Strait of Hormuz?

Accepted Answer

The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran to the north and the Musandam Peninsula of Oman to the south, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. At its narrowest the strait is only about 21 nautical miles wide.

Question 3

Why is the Strait of Hormuz important?

Accepted Answer

Roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption transits the strait every day. There is no practical sea-route alternative for most Gulf crude exports, which makes Hormuz one of the most strategically important maritime chokepoints in the world.

Question 4

What data powers this tracker?

Accepted Answer

Vessel positions are derived from public AIS (Automatic Identification System) data sources. AIS is a transponder system that ships above a certain size are required to broadcast under SOLAS regulations.

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