Tehran Oil Exports Maintain Resilience, Iranian Crude Still Passes Through Strait of Hormuz

Since the outbreak of the Middle East war, Iran’s oil exports have not collapsed—Tehran continues to ship its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, while warning its Gulf neighbors that ships carrying their crude oil attempting to pass through the strait will be destroyed.

According to data from Kpler, since March 1 (the day after the US and Israel began bombing Iran and killing Ayatollahs), Iran’s crude oil exports have averaged about 1.2 million barrels per day. Compared to the pre-war daily export volume of approximately 1.5 million barrels through the Strait of Hormuz, this is not a significant decline.

Data shows that the world’s most important oil choke point for Iranian crude remains open, while access for other supplies is subject to Iran’s decisions.

Based on Kpler’s data, since March 1, nearly three-quarters of the 27.2 million barrels of oil exported through the Strait of Hormuz have been from Iran.

While Iran’s exports remain relatively resilient, oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz from other Gulf countries have plummeted to just 400,000 barrels per day, a small fraction of the 14 million barrels per day that the strait transported to destinations before the war.

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, an estimated 89 ships, including 16 oil tankers, have crossed the Strait of Hormuz between March 1 and 15.

To better understand this traffic over two weeks, it should be noted that before the war, about 100 ships (including oil tankers) passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily, and this conflict has plunged the world’s most important oil-producing region into chaos.

In addition to shipping oil through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is also adjusting its export strategy. Maritime AI company Windward stated on Tuesday that it observed a batch of Iranian crude oil being loaded at the Khowr-Mubarak terminal east of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating a clear effort to completely bypass this choke point and maintain oil flow even if maritime traffic is disrupted.