Iran War at Sea: How the Conflict Is Disrupting Global Trade and Energy in International Shipping News 24/03/2026 Operation Epic Fury began on February 28 and has since pushed the global maritime system into a new phase of sustained disruption. The disruption is no longer limited to isolated vessel attacks or temporary route changes. It now spans chokepoints, oil exports, LNG, bunkering, container rotations, port systems, and sanctions-linked oil flows. The Strait of Hormuz remains the clearest measure of that shift. Before February 28, it averaged 120 transits per day in both directions. Since the start of the war, that number has fallen to just 6.9. This is not based solely on AIS data — Remote Sensing Intelligence confirms an 84.4% reduction in large vessels physically present in the corridor, from 96 vessels on January 17 at 07:02 UTC to 15 on March 13 at the same hour. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most consequential energy chokepoints, carrying roughly 20% of global energy flows, including petroleum liquids and LNG. What has emerged since the start of the conflict is not a corridor under stress, but a tightly constrained system in which most of the global fleet has physically vacated the area, while the marginal volume still moving is increasingly dark, selective, and politically conditioned. The Arabian Gulf Operational Overview The Arabian Gulf is still active, but it is no longer operating normally. As of March 19, Windward identified 1,290 foreign-flagged cargo and tanker vessels inside the Gulf. Activity is now heavily concentrated along the western coast, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia serving as the primary hubs, while operators pull away from the Iranian coastline and prioritize more secure GCC infrastructure. The current fleet composition highlights which registries, operators, and vessel types continue to maintain a presence in the Gulf under these conditions. Flag registries: Panama: 379 vessels. Marshall Islands: 259 vessels. Liberia: 251 vessels. Comoros: 217 vessels. Singapore: 96 vessels. Ownership and management by country: China: 480 vessels. Singapore: 474 vessels. Greece: 431 vessels. Marshall Islands: 329 vessels. Japan: 323 vessels. Vessel subclasses: Bulk carriers: 415 vessels. General cargo: 341 vessels. Crude oil tankers: 283 vessels. Oil products tankers: 226 vessels. Container vessels: 119 vessels. LNG tankers: 51 vessels. Breakdown of subclasses operating in the Gulf. Source: Windward. Breakdown of subclasses operating in the Gulf. Source: Windward. International shipping remains active in the Gulf, but under reduced mobility, elevated risk, and increasing reliance on western Gulf corridors. Gulf Commercial Operations Before the war, Gulf commercial activity was expanding. From January to February 2026, Arabian Gulf port calls grew 8.2% month over month. Operation Epic Fury reversed that trajectory almost immediately. In the first 14 days of the war, Gulf port call frequency collapsed 47.3%. AIS-transmitting vessels calling Arabian Gulf ports fell from 1,065 to 261. Port calls by tanker and cargo vessels in the Arabian Gulf, Windward. UAE activity remains dominant, but even there, total port calls dropped from 680 to 157, with Port Rashid still leading the reduced network. Iranian activity has nearly vanished, especially in Assaluyeh, while Saudi ports and strategic sites such as Umm Qasr and the Barakah plant now account for a larger share of what remains. Arabian Gulf Port Calls Pre vs. Dur