Oil tankers crowd outside the Strait of Hormuz, with over 250 ships anchored and waiting

⑴ According to shipping observers, at least 150 oil tankers (including crude oil tankers and product tankers) have anchored in the international waters of the Middle East Gulf outside the Strait of Hormuz over the past period. Dozens of cargo ships are gathered in the waters of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE, with several dozen more vessels anchored in coastal areas. ⑵ At least another 100 oil tankers are anchored near the coasts of the UAE and Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz. The large number of stranded vessels indicates that the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy transportation, has effectively been paralyzed, with the risk of market supply disruption rising sharply.