Who gets through the Strait of Hormuz? AP Dispatch

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(18 Mar 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Strait of Hormuz - 18 March 2026 1. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Crowther, The Associated Press: "When I look out here across the opening to the Strait of Hormuz, especially at night time when they have their lights on, I see dozens of ships waiting for what they hope would be a safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. There might be over a hundred ships waiting here and on the other side, inside the Persian Gulf, hundreds of ships are waiting to somehow make their way through what has become a very perilous passage through the Strait of Hormuz. All of this brought about by Iranian threats that they would attack any ship that is in any way affiliated with the United States or Israel or any of its allies. But maritime and trade data platforms do show that some ships get through. Eighty-nine ships altogether since the start of the war have got through the Strait of Hormuz. And this data also shows that Iran is still exporting millions of barrels of oil." ASSOCIATED PRESS Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates - 11 March 2026 2. Various of ships at sea as seen from Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates ASSOCIATED PRESS Strait of Hormuz - 18 March 2026 3 . SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Crowther, The Associated Press: "So who does get through? Well, first of all, out of those 89 ships, one-fifth are affiliated with Iran. There are also ships that are affiliated with India and Pakistan that have managed to make their way during wartime through the Strait of Hormuz, and other ships have been heading to China. But essentially, the situation that all of these ships are facing is that Iran right now is deciding who gets through the Strait of Hormuz safely, and who gets threatened with possible attacks." ASSOCIATED PRESS Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates - 11 March 2026 4. Zoom in to ships lining up in the sea near Ras Al-Khaimah, pan and zoom out of ships STORYLINE: The Strait of Hormuz is a small strip of water connecting the Persian Gulf to the world’s oceans, and it has become a big problem for the global economy, as AP's Philip Crowther explains. On a typical day, ships carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil sail out of the Gulf through the narrow passageway. But the war with Iran means it’s effectively closed, hemming in more than 90% of that crude and refined products, according to the International Energy Agency. The Islamic Republic has vowed to block the region’s oil exports, saying it would not allow “even a single liter” to be shipped to its enemies. The snarls have sent oil prices hovering around $100 per barrel and threatened a surge of painful inflation for the global economy if the blockage lasts a long time. Some energy analysts believe oil prices could jump to $150 per barrel if the strait remains closed for weeks and conditions worsen. That would mean even higher gasoline prices for drivers worldwide, undercutting household budgets already pressured by high inflation. It would also raise costs for businesses, which could in turn raise prices for customers. The Strait of Hormuz is a bending waterway, about 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point. It connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. From there, ships can then travel to the rest of the world. While Iran and Oman have their territorial waters in the strait, it’s viewed as an international waterway all ships can ply. The United Arab Emirates, home to the skyscraper-studded city of Dubai, also sits near the waterway. Some traffic is getting through. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/f3be2fb5537649009c5a468019dfad73