Hormuz Chokepoint Remains Blocked Despite US-Iran Ceasefire Extension

The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to normal commercial traffic, with only a handful of vessels transiting the waterway on Wednesday. Despite President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally extend the ceasefire with Iran, the maritime corridor continues to be a zone of active conflict and seizure. Current traffic levels are a fraction of pre-war norms, where over 100 ships typically crossed daily. LSEG data indicates only six ships transited on Wednesday, including three oil tankers. This stagnation persists as Iran attempts to control the sea lane while the United States maintains a strict blockade of Iranian ports and vessels. Hostilities have escalated this week, with Iran's Revolutionary Guard reporting the seizure of two container ships for crossing without authorization. The UKMTO has issued warnings regarding high activity levels, reporting that a cargo ship was fired upon Wednesday and another container ship suffered heavy bridge damage on Tuesday. The disruption represents one of the most significant oil supply shocks in history, given that approximately 20% of global crude supplies pass through the strait. According to Rystad Energy, oil flows are not expected to reach 90% of pre-war levels until July, with a further two-month lag before those barrels reach global refineries for processing.