Nighttime convoys are reshaping a critical energy chokepoint, while fighter patrols guard vessels against attacks from the Iranian side.
The U.S. military has quietly organized a corridor for oil tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. The operation allows around 10 million barrels of oil to be shipped out of the Persian Gulf each day, partially offsetting disruptions in the global energy market.
The route has been operating for the past several weeks. Between 15 and 20 tankers travel through it in both directions each night. The vessels use the southern channel along the coast of Oman.
The current volume of shipments is approximately half the prewar level. At the same time, supplies moving through the Strait of Hormuz are already having a noticeable impact on the global oil supply, which declined after the fighting began and caused prices to surge.
How the U.S. organized tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz
The operation involves more than escorting vessels loaded with oil. The U.S. military also helps empty chartered tankers enter the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Sea, take on oil at ports across the region, and return through the strait.
The operation is coordinated by a task force based at the Army headquarters in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It works with U.S. regional partners in the Persian Gulf and prepares separate daily schedules for outbound and inbound vessels.
Traffic is organized as follows:
loaded tankers are assembled into one large convoy bound for the Arabian Sea;
empty chartered vessels form a separate convoy to enter ports in the Persian Gulf;
a separate nighttime window is assigned for each direction;
tankers travel through the southern channel under the direction of the U.S. military;
U.S. Air Force fighter jets protect the vessels from Iranian drones and cruise missiles.
We have controlled the southern route through the Strait of Hormuz for two months now. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps can cause problems, but it does not control the strait. We do.
– a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the operation
Iran has lost some of its surveillance capabilities
The corridor was established following a two-week military campaign by U.S. Central Command. The strikes weakened Iran’s radar systems and maritime surveillance capabilities.
Iran has limited insight into vessel movements through the southern channel. It relies on several restored radar systems as well as observers aboard small, high-speed boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Because of the lack of precise intelligence, Iranian forces launch drones and cruise missiles into areas where tankers may be located. Some vessels have been hit, but the U.S. military has intercepted a significant number of the attacks. Earlier this week, U.S. forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles.
Oil exports from the Persian Gulf are increasing
Over the past two weeks, between 15 and 20 tankers have traveled through the southern channel of the Strait of Hormuz each night. Average daily exports have gradually increased to nearly 10 million barrels.
Key figures from the operation include:
around 10 million barrels of oil are shipped out each day on average;
on some nights, shipment volumes have reached 15–20 million barrels;
more than 20 vessels were expected to travel through the southern route on one night this week;
the tankers potentially carried approximately 15 million barrels of oil.
Despite the stabilization of maritime shipments, the broader war remains deadlocked. President Trump said on Wednesday that the United States is not currently negotiating with Iran.
A tremendous amount of oil is coming out through the Strait of Hormuz. They are wasting their time. Negotiating with them is a waste of time. The Iranians still have some capacity to fight, but overall they are just a shell of what they once were.
– President Trump
The U.S.-organized corridor has not yet restored exports to prewar levels, but it has ensured the regular movement of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and eased pressure on global oil supplies.