The Strait of Hormuz
The geopolitics and international law of the world's most important oil chokepoint.
The World's Oil Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, is the most strategically important maritime chokepoint in the world. Approximately 20-21 million barrels of oil per day pass through the strait, roughly one-fifth of global petroleum consumption. The strait is only 21 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point, and the shipping lanes are even narrower. Any disruption to transit would send oil prices soaring and trigger a global economic crisis.
Under UNCLOS, the Strait of Hormuz is an international strait subject to the regime of transit passage (Part III). Transit passage allows all ships and aircraft to exercise continuous and expeditious passage through the strait for the purpose of moving between two areas of the high seas or EEZs. Unlike innocent passage, transit passage cannot be suspended by the bordering states, and it applies to submarines (which may transit submerged) and aircraft (which may overfly).
