Why Russia's Shadow Fleet Tankers Are the Only Ships Still Moving Through the Strait of Hormuz

Why Russia's Shadow Fleet Tankers Are the Only Ships Still Moving Through the Strait of Hormuz

Republished with permission from The Conversation, by Charles Edward Gehrke, US Naval War College The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. Since the beginning of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, oil tanker traffic through the world’s most critical oil shipping choke point has collapsed, dropping by more than 90%. Iran has threatened to destroy any ships, including oil tankers, that pass through the s…