Hormuz Strait Activity Rises Amid Oil Export Resurgence

WHO:

CNBC - U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Switzerland for high-level talks with the Iranian delegation.

Bloomberg Markets - Iran is increasing its crude oil exports.

Bloomberg Markets - Kuwait is asking customers to pick up refined petroleum.

OilPrice.com - Saudi Arabia and the UAE are involved in increasing oil production and pipeline capacity.

WHAT:

Bloomberg Markets - Iran has ramped up the amount of crude oil it openly sends through the Strait of Hormuz to the highest since the war started.

OilPrice.com - Saudi Arabia is rerouting its oil exports through the East-West pipeline, increasing flows to approximately 7 million barrels daily.

OilPrice.com - Iraq's oil production has dropped to barely over 1 million barrels daily, down from over 4 million barrels daily.

OilPrice.com - Iraq plans to increase the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline from 200,000 barrels daily to 770,000 barrels daily.

CNBC - Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz stalled after Iran announced it had closed the waterway again, with a total of 12 ships transiting the strait on a recent Sunday, down from more than 21 the previous day.

CNBC - An analysis by maritime intelligence company Windward indicated that five of eight inbound vessels were reported to be "dark," meaning they disabled their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to hide their location, identity, and destination.

Bloomberg Markets - Estimates show that oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz at the fastest pace since the Iran war began, despite Tehran's claims of closure.

CNBC - Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz stalled after Iran announced it had closed the waterway again.

CNBC - A total of 12 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on a recent Sunday, down from more than 21 the previous day.

CNBC - Trade intelligence firm Kpler reported that at least 20 tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz on a Thursday, reflecting the highest level of traffic since June 2.

Bloomberg Markets - The flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz is running at the fastest pace since the Iran war began.

Bloomberg Markets - Iran has ramped up the amount of crude oil it openly sends through the Strait of Hormuz to the highest since the war started.

OilPrice.com - Iraq's oil exports that averaged more than 3.3 million bpd before the conflict have collapsed to a fraction of that level, triggering a sharp decline in government revenues.

OilPrice.com - Iraq's oil production has dropped to barely over 1 million barrels daily, down from over 4 million barrels daily.

OilPrice.com - Iraq's oil exports have decreased from over 3.3 million barrels per day to just over 1 million barrels per day due to disruptions.

OilPrice.com - The UAE plans to double the capacity of its existing pipeline to Fujairah from 1.8 million barrels daily to 3.6 million barrels daily, with the new pipeline scheduled to be ready by the end of next year.

OilPrice.com - Iraq aims to increase the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline capacity to approximately 770,000 barrels daily in months.

Bloomberg Markets - Iran has ramped up its crude oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz to the highest level since the war started.

OilPrice.com - The UAE plans to double the capacity of its existing pipeline to Fujairah from 1.8 million barrels daily to 3.6 million barrels daily.

OilPrice.com - Iraq's oil production has plummeted from over 4 million barrels daily to barely over 1 million barrels daily.

OilPrice.com - Iraq is taking steps to increase the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline to approximately 770,000 barrels daily.

Bloomberg Markets - Iran's crude oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz have reached the highest level since the war started.

Bloomberg Markets - Kuwait is offering refined petroleum products from its ports.

OilPrice.com - Saudi Arabia is rerouting its oil exports through the East-West pipeline, increasing flows to approximately 7 million barrels daily.

OilPrice.com - Iraq's oil exports have dropped from over 3.3 million barrels per day to just over 1 million barrels per day due to disruptions.

OilPrice.com - Iraq plans to increase the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline from 200,000 barrels daily to 770,000 barrels daily.

WHERE:

Bloomberg Markets - The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route for oil.

OilPrice.com - The East-West pipeline runs from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea.

OilPrice.com - The port of Fujairah is located outside the Strait of Hormuz.

OilPrice.com - The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline is located in Iraq.

WHEN:

OilPrice.com - A new pipeline in the UAE is scheduled to be ready by the end of next year.

OilPrice.com - Iraq aims to increase the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline capacity in months.

WHY:

Newsweek - Under the current deal, Iran allows the safe, toll-free passage of commercial ships through the strait for a 60-day period.

CNBC - The closure of the Strait of Hormuz was announced by Iran amid ongoing tensions and negotiations with the U.S. regarding the terms of ending the war.

OilPrice.com - The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted shipping of about a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquified natural gas, first hitting Asia, followed by Africa.

OilPrice.com - The decline in Iraq's oil exports is forcing Baghdad to prioritize domestic energy security due to a sharp decline in government revenues from oil exports.

OilPrice.com - The increase in oil exports and pipeline capacity is a response to the risk of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen in the recent conflict.

OilPrice.com - The increase in oil exports and pipeline capacity is a response to the risk of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

OilPrice.com - Iraq is prioritizing domestic energy security due to the decline in government revenues from oil exports.

HOW:

OilPrice.com - Iraq is considering a network of pipelines to Mediterranean ports in Syria and Jordan to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

CNBC - Five of eight inbound vessels were reported to be "dark," indicating they disabled their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to hide their location, identity, and destination.

OilPrice.com - Iraq is considering a network of pipelines to Mediterranean ports in Syria and Jordan as a way of bypassing Hormuz and the risk of future disruptions of tanker traffic there.

OilPrice.com - Iraq is considering a network of pipelines to Mediterranean ports in Syria and Jordan to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

OilPrice.com - Saudi Arabia is using its East-West pipeline to reroute oil exports.

OilPrice.com - Iraq is considering a network of pipelines to Mediterranean ports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

(UPDATED June 23, 2026 08:07 UTC)

Iran has significantly increased its crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, reaching the highest levels since the onset of the war. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is rerouting its oil exports through the East-West pipeline, boosting flows to about 7 million barrels daily, while Iraq's oil production has plummeted to just over 1 million barrels daily, a steep decline from more than 4 million. In response, Iraq plans to enhance the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline and is also exploring a network of pipelines to Mediterranean ports in Syria and Jordan to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz.

(UPDATED June 22, 2026 23:21 UTC)

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a halt after Iran announced it had closed the waterway again, with only twelve ships transiting recently, a significant drop from more than twenty-one the previous day. An analysis by maritime intelligence company Windward revealed that five of eight inbound vessels were operating in "dark" mode, disabling their transponders to conceal their location and identity. Despite Tehran's claims of closure, estimates indicate that oil is flowing through the strait at the fastest pace since the Iran war began, as Iran currently allows safe passage for commercial ships under a 60-day deal.

(UPDATED June 22, 2026 18:20 UTC)

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Switzerland for high-level talks with the Iranian delegation as tensions continue to escalate. Meanwhile, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has stalled after Iran announced the closure of the waterway, with only 12 ships transiting recently, a significant drop from over 21 the previous day. Notably, five of eight inbound vessels were reported as "dark," meaning they disabled their tracking systems to conceal their locations and identities.

(UPDATED June 22, 2026 16:25 UTC)

The flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz has reached its fastest pace since the onset of the Iran war, with Iran increasing its crude oil exports to the highest levels seen during this conflict. Meanwhile, Iraq's oil exports have plummeted from an average of more than 3.3 million barrels per day to a fraction of that, significantly impacting government revenues. In response to the disruptions caused by the blockade of the Strait, Iraq is exploring the construction of pipelines to Mediterranean ports in Syria and Jordan to mitigate future risks to tanker traffic.

(UPDATED June 22, 2026 14:50 UTC)

Iraq's oil production has plummeted to just over 1 million barrels daily, a significant drop from more than 4 million barrels, and its exports have similarly decreased from over 3.3 million barrels per day to just above 1 million due to ongoing disruptions. This decline is prompting Baghdad to focus on domestic energy security as government revenues from oil exports sharply decline, while Iraq plans to boost the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline to approximately 770,000 barrels daily in the coming months. Meanwhile, the UAE is set to double the capacity of its pipeline to Fujairah from 1.8 million barrels daily to 3.6 million barrels daily, with the new pipeline expected to be completed by the end of next year.

(UPDATED June 22, 2026 10:49 UTC)

Iran has significantly increased its crude oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, reaching the highest levels since the onset of the war. Meanwhile, the UAE is planning to double the capacity of its pipeline to Fujairah from 1.8 million barrels daily to 3.6 million barrels daily, while Iraq's oil production has dropped sharply from over 4 million barrels daily to just above 1 million barrels daily. In response to these challenges, Iraq is exploring a network of pipelines to Mediterranean ports in Syria and Jordan to circumvent potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

(UPDATED June 22, 2026 08:50 UTC)

Iran is ramping up its crude oil exports, reaching the highest levels since the start of the war, while Kuwait is inviting customers to pick up refined petroleum products from its ports. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is increasing oil production and rerouting its exports through the East-West pipeline, boosting flows to about 7 million barrels daily, as Iraq plans to enhance the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline from 200,000 barrels daily to 770,000 barrels daily in the coming months. These developments come as a response to the ongoing risks of disruptions in the crucial Strait of Hormuz, with Iraq prioritizing domestic energy security amid declining government revenues from oil exports.