Traffic starts trickling through Strait of Hormuz: Who's moving through and who's still stranded or diverting

In this article USO UAMY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Commercial vessels are pictured offshore in Dubai on March 11, 2026. - | Afp | Getty Images Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has stoked fears of the gravest disruption to global oil supply in history , as the Middle East conflict stretches into its third week. The blockade has squeezed shipping traffic to a trickle, with just 21 tankers transiting the route since the war began on Feb. 28, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence, compared to more than 100 ships daily before the conflict. Most vessels appear to be holding positions outside Hormuz, with thousands of seafarers stranded aboard vessels in the Gulf. Some have explored a pivot to disperse to alternative ports. Roughly 400 vessels were spotted operating in the Gulf of Oman, as a massive backlog of ships waited near the chokepoint, according to a report from maritime intelligence firm Windward on Sunday. While Iran has kept a tight grip on the strait, a small number of other ships have made the crossing under varying circumstances, signaling that Tehran is selectively letting through some non-Iranian oil cargo in negotiated safe voyages, according to maritime analysts. CNBC Europe Here's a look at some of the countries that have had their vessels go through the critical energy route since the war began. China Tehran has largely avoided targeting ships linked to China. Dozens of vessels broadcasting AIS — automatic identification system — destinations referenced Chinese ownership or crew presence while operating in the Gulf, according to Windward. "This pattern suggests the possibility of an informal access filter, where vessels signaling Chinese ownership or crew may be attempting to indicate neutrality or avoid targeting in the current conflict environment," Windward analysts said in a report last week. Beijing was reportedly in talks with Iran to allow crude oil and Qatari liquefied natural gas carriers to pass thro...