Jebel Ali
18% of normal port calls
16 ships waiting in the Dubai / Jebel Ali area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Strait of Hormuz map and geography
The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman's Musandam Peninsula that links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. It is 21 nautical miles (39 km) wide at its narrowest. Right now 468 commercial ships are waiting on the Gulf of Oman side and 163 on the Gulf side.
Strait of Hormuz map
Live ship map →
hormuz.now counting line (Musandam to Kuhestak)
Inbound lane (westbound, into the Gulf), approximate
Outbound lane (eastbound, to the Gulf of Oman), approximate
Anchorage and port areas where we count waiting ships
Iran is to the north, Oman's Musandam Peninsula to the south and the United Arab Emirates to the south-west, with the Persian Gulf to the west and the Gulf of Oman to the east. Lanes are drawn approximately and are not for navigation. Hover over an anchorage box to see how many ships are waiting there. Coastlines © Natural Earth.
Anchorage areas on the map, as a table
| Area | Side of the strait | Commercial ships waiting | Commercial tankers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fujairah anchorage | Gulf of Oman | 181 | 125 |
| Khor Fakkan | Gulf of Oman | 35 | 15 |
| Sohar | Gulf of Oman | 64 | 30 |
| Gulf of Oman (offshore) | Gulf of Oman | 10 | 6 |
| Larak / Qeshm anchorage (Iran) | Persian Gulf | 4 | 7 |
| Bandar Abbas | Persian Gulf | 12 | 5 |
| Ras al Khaimah | Persian Gulf | 12 | 3 |
| Sharjah / Ajman | Persian Gulf | 28 | 18 |
| Dubai / Jebel Ali | Persian Gulf | 16 | 2 |
| Abu Dhabi | Persian Gulf | 12 | 3 |
Where is the Strait of Hormuz?
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran to the north and the Musandam Peninsula of Oman to the south. It is the only sea link between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which opens into the Arabian Sea. Bandar Abbas in Iran and Khasab in Oman are the main towns on either shore (Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz, accessed 29 Sep 2026).
The narrowest point lies between Iran's Larak Island and Oman's Great Quoin Island, off Musandam (Wikipedia, accessed 29 Sep 2026). Measured on the map above, Khasab is roughly 150 km (about 90 miles) north-east of Dubai in a straight line, and the narrowest point is a little farther north-east.
Musandam is an Omani exclave, separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates; its capital is Khasab (Wikipedia: Musandam Governorate, accessed 29 Sep 2026). The UAE's east-coast ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan sit just outside the strait on the Gulf of Oman.
How wide is the Strait of Hormuz? Width, length and depth
21nmi
width at the narrowest point
39 km (24 miles), between Great Quoin Island (Oman) and Larak Island (Iran). IEA, Feb 2026; Wikipedia
>200m
depth in the inshore zone off Musandam (over 650 ft)
The water is deepest near Musandam and gets shallower toward the Iranian shore. A fully laden supertanker draws 20–25 m. Strauss Center
1968
the IMO adopts the traffic separation scheme
Proposed by Iran and Oman; the scheme lies in Omani territorial waters. IMO, updated 24 Sep 2026; Wikipedia
Depth is not the constraint. Laden supertankers could safely use most of the strait, not only the official lanes, and the inshore zone south of Oman's Didamar Island was the main shipping channel before 1979 (Strauss Center, accessed 29 Sep 2026). Wikipedia pages accessed 29 Sep 2026.
Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes and 2026 routes
Crossings by day →The traffic separation scheme
In normal times ships follow the IMO traffic separation scheme (TSS). It has an inbound lane (westbound, into the Gulf) and an outbound lane (eastbound, to the Gulf of Oman), each 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) wide, with a separation zone of similar width between them (Wikipedia, accessed 29 Sep 2026). Iran and Oman proposed the scheme. The IMO adopted it in 1968, and it was modified in 1979 (IMO, updated 24 Sep 2026).
The lanes through the strait itself lie entirely in Omani waters, while the Persian Gulf TSS farther inside runs mostly through Iranian waters (Washington Institute, 24 Jul 2019).
Routes in 2026
- JMIC southern route (June 2026). The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) advised ships to avoid the TSS because of mines and to use a cleared southern route along the Omani side (JMIC Advisory 009-26, 18 Jun 2026).
- US-coordinated corridor. A US Navy (NAVCENT/NCAGS)-coordinated southern corridor through Omani waters. CENTCOM says the primary transit lanes have been cleared of mines. (Fortune (CENTCOM), 19 September 2026)
- Iran's own routing (April 2026). Iran published its own traffic scheme. It marks the IMO lanes off Musandam as "transit prohibited", citing mines, sends traffic through Iranian waters instead and requires ships to coordinate with the IRGC Navy (Maritime Executive, 8 Apr 2026). Iran has blacklisted ships that used the southern corridor or crossed without paying (Windward, 17 Sep 2026). Its permit regime is covered under who controls the strait.
Which side ships cross on, last 7 days
AIS-visible commercial crossings of our counting line. We split the line at its midpoint as a stand-in for the median line between Omani and Iranian waters, so the split is approximate. "Not determined" covers crossings whose exact crossing point is unknown. Ships crossing with AIS switched off are not included. How we count crossings.
Holding area off Larak and Qeshm
4 commercial ships are waiting in the Larak / Qeshm anchorage (Iran) in the latest AIS snapshot, and 7 commercial tankers are in the area. Area note: Iranian-designated holding area ("LARAK OPL" in AIS destinations) used under the 2026 permit regime. Where ships are waiting.
Islands in the Strait of Hormuz
The strait has eight major islands, seven of them controlled by Iran (Strauss Center, accessed 29 Sep 2026). The main ones are Hormuz, Qeshm, Larak and Hengam, all Iranian. Farther west in the Gulf, Iran also holds Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, which the UAE claims.
| Island | Controlled by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hormuz Island | Iran | Lies in the strait off the Iranian coast and shares its name. One theory derives "Hormuz" from a local Persian term, Hur-Mogh ("place of dates"); another from Hormoz, a Zoroastrian deity (Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz). |
| Qeshm | Iran | The largest island in the Persian Gulf: 1,491 km² and 135 km long. Its main city is 22 km from Bandar Abbas, and it has been a free trade and industrial area since 1991 (Wikipedia: Qeshm Island, accessed 29 Sep 2026). |
| Larak | Iran | Marks the northern side of the strait's narrowest point, opposite Oman's Great Quoin Island (Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz). |
| Hengam | Iran | One of the four main islands of the strait (Strauss Center; Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz). |
| Great Quoin | Oman | Part of the Omani Quoin (Didamar) group off Musandam; marks the southern side of the narrowest point (Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz). |
| Abu Musa | Iranclaimed by the UAE | Historically claimed by the emirate of Sharjah. Iranian troops took a pre-agreed part of the island under a British-brokered arrangement with Sharjah on 30 November 1971 (Wikipedia: Seizure of Abu Musa and the Tunbs, accessed 29 Sep 2026). |
| Greater and Lesser Tunb | Iranclaimed by the UAE | Historically claimed by Ras al-Khaimah. Iran took them on 30 November 1971, two days before the UAE was established (UAE Embassy in Washington; Wikipedia). |
The UAE describes Abu Musa and the Tunbs as occupied and has proposed direct talks, arbitration or the International Court of Justice to settle the dispute (UAE Embassy in Washington, accessed 29 Sep 2026).
Who controls the Strait of Hormuz? Borders and legal status
Crisis timeline →Which countries border the Strait of Hormuz?
Two: Iran on the north shore and Oman on the south, through the Musandam Peninsula (Wikipedia: Musandam Governorate, accessed 29 Sep 2026). Iran extended its territorial sea to 12 nautical miles in 1959 and Oman did the same in 1972. At the narrowest point, 21 nautical miles across, the two claims overlap, so no strip of high seas is left and every ship passes through Iranian or Omani territorial waters (Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz; Opinio Juris, 6 May 2026).
Is the Strait of Hormuz international waters?
Not in the sense of high seas, but it is a strait used for international navigation. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ships have a right of transit passage there that "shall not be impeded" (Just Security, 15 Mar 2026).
- Iran signed UNCLOS in 1982 but has not ratified it. On signing, it declared that treaty rights such as transit passage apply only to states party to the convention. Its 1993 maritime law refers only to innocent passage, not transit passage (Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz; Washington Institute, 24 Jul 2019; Opinio Juris, 6 May 2026).
- Oman ratified UNCLOS in 1989. Like Iran, it requires prior notice from foreign warships, which the US rejects (Washington Institute, 24 Jul 2019).
- The United States is not a party to UNCLOS but treats transit passage as customary international law that binds all states (Just Security, 15 Mar 2026).
A legal analysis published in May 2026 argues that, under the law of naval warfare, a total closure by mines without safe corridors would be unlawful (Opinio Juris, 6 May 2026).
Who controls it in practice in 2026
Control is contested. Iran holds the northern shore and most of the islands, while the main shipping lanes lie in Omani waters. The latest picture from the sources our editors review:
- Iran · checked 28 SepIran declared the strait closed to "hostile" shipping on 28 February and the IRGC confirmed the closure on 2 March. Since May, Iran requires transit permits and tolls through its Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), sanctioned by the US Treasury on 27 May. Wikipedia: Persian Gulf Strait Authority
- US corridor · checked 19 SepThe US Navy coordinates transits through the southern corridor in Omani waters described under shipping lanes. Fortune (CENTCOM)
- US blockade · checked 25 SepUS naval blockade of Iranian ports, first imposed 13 April, lifted 18 June and reimposed from 14 July. CENTCOM said on 25 September it had redirected 122 commercial vessels. Wikipedia: 2026 United States naval blockade of Iran
- Threat level · 27 SepJMIC rates the regional maritime threat SEVERE. JMIC Advisory Update 100 (UKMTO)
Our live status: Restricted (Severely restricted). AIS-visible traffic is 5% of normal over the last 7 days (4.6 a day against 84.8 before the crisis). Today is Day 216, counting 28 February 2026 as Day 1.
Ships waiting at ports near the Strait of Hormuz
All waiting areas →| Port | Waiting now |
|---|---|
| Bandar AbbasIran · north shore of the strait (Gulf side) | 12 |
| KhasabOman · south shore, Musandam Peninsula | Not tracked separately |
| FujairahUAE · Gulf of Oman, outside the strait | 181 |
| Khor FakkanUAE (Sharjah) · Gulf of Oman, outside the strait | 35 |
| Dubai / Jebel AliUAE · Persian Gulf, west of the strait | 16 |
| SoharOman · Gulf of Oman coast of mainland Oman | 64 |
Live counts come from AIS positions in each port's anchorage area. "Waiting now" counts commercial ships (cargo ships and tankers 80 m or longer) moving under 1 knot with a position fix in the last 6 hours. "Tankers" counts all commercial tankers in the area, moving or not. "All vessels" includes tugs, ferries and other small craft. Ships with AIS switched off are not counted. Ships waiting by area.
Ports around the strait
All 25 ports →Port calls in the last 30 days of IMF PortWatch data as a share of the year before the crisis, and ships waiting in each port's anchorage area now. Bars show weekly calls; the dashed line is the pre-crisis weekly average. PortWatch figures are estimates from satellite AIS, published with a lag of about 3–5 days.
Khalifa Port
22% of normal port calls
12 ships waiting in the Abu Dhabi area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Shahid Rajaee (Bandar Abbas)
26% of normal port calls
12 ships waiting in the Bandar Abbas area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Sharjah
47% of normal port calls
28 ships waiting in the Sharjah / Ajman area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Mina Saqr
55% of normal port calls
12 ships waiting in the Ras al Khaimah area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Fujairah
66% of normal port calls
181 ships waiting in the Fujairah anchorage area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Khor Fakkan
1.8 port calls a day (1.0 before)
35 ships waiting in the Khor Fakkan area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Sohar
82% of normal port calls
64 ships waiting in the Sohar area now · PortWatch data to 25 Sep
Local time on both shores
The strait straddles two time zones: Iran is on UTC+3:30 and Oman and the UAE are on UTC+4, so clocks on the two shores are 30 minutes apart. Times on hormuz.now are in UTC unless stated.
09:05
Iran (Bandar Abbas)
UTC+3:30
09:35
Oman (Khasab)
UTC+4
09:35
UAE (Dubai, Fujairah)
UTC+4
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Clocks update live in your browser.
Quick answers
All questions →Where is the Strait of Hormuz on a world map?
In the Middle East. Find the Arabian Peninsula and Iran: the Persian Gulf is the long inlet between them, and the Strait of Hormuz is its narrow exit at the south-eastern end, where Iran's coast and the tip of Oman's Musandam Peninsula almost meet. East of the strait, the Gulf of Oman opens into the Arabian Sea.
Sources: Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz, Wikipedia: Musandam Governorate (accessed 29 Sep 2026).
Which two seas does the Strait of Hormuz connect?
The Persian Gulf to the west and the Gulf of Oman to the east. The Gulf of Oman in turn opens into the Arabian Sea, so the strait is the Gulf's only sea route to the open ocean.
Source: Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz (accessed 29 Sep 2026).
How wide is the Strait of Hormuz in km?
About 39 km (21 nautical miles, 24 miles) at its narrowest, between Larak Island (Iran) and Great Quoin Island (Oman), and about 97 km at its widest. The shipping lanes are each 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) wide.
Sources: IEA, Feb 2026; Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz (accessed 29 Sep 2026).
Who controls the Strait of Hormuz?
No single state. Iran and Oman border it, and their territorial waters overlap at the narrowest point; the main shipping lanes are on the Omani side. For the current picture, including Iran's permit system and US naval operations, see who controls the strait in practice.
Sources: Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz (accessed 29 Sep 2026); Washington Institute, 24 Jul 2019.
Live AIS data as of · 1,489 vessels visible in the region. Counts are AIS-visible only and miss ships running dark. How we count.