Ships Navigate Hormuz Despite Tensions

0:00On March 18, despite the ongoing tensions, ships continue to navigate the straight of Hormuz, a vital oil choke point. Maritime trackers report at least 89 vessels passed through between March 1 and 15, including 16 oil tankers. Many were so-called dark transits linked to Iran, dodging sanctions with others tied to China and Greece. Iran has shown strong resilience in its oil exports, shipping over 16 million barrels since early March, mostly to China. This holds steady even as crude prices have surged more than 40 percent above $100 a barrel since the conflict escalated. President Donald Trump urged allies to deploy warships to reopen the straight in East prices, while nations like India and Pakistan negotiated safe. Passage for their vessels. India's foreign minister confirmed talks with Iran, allow two liquefied petroleum gas carriers through around March 13 or 14. A Pakistan flag tanker also crossed on Sunday, and Iraq is in similar discussions for its

1:02oil tankers. Experts note these passages often hugged the Iranian coast, suggesting diplomatic deals create limited-safe corridors. The straight isn't fully shut down, but operates selectively, favoring Iranian exports while restricting others. This setup lets Iran profit and control flows, though US officials have allowed some Iranian tankers through to steady global supply.