According to U.S. Central Command, the U.S. military has helped tankers transport more than 660 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz since early May, even as the security situation in the vital waterway remains contested.
Military Escorts and Commercial Transit Volumes in Hormuz
U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson, stated Thursday that the military has assisted about 1,300 commercial vessels in sailing through the strait over the same period. “Multiple routes remain free and open for commercial transit,” Hawkins said in the statement.
This deployment indicates that at least 160 million barrels, or more than 7 million barrels per day, have transited the strait over a three-week window, calculated from the military’s prior count of 500 million barrels reported on July 29. While these numbers show continuous flow, shipments remain far below pre-war levels, when about 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and products typically passed through the waterway.
Discrepancies in Daily Oil Export Estimates
Pinpointing exact daily export volumes remains difficult due to differing estimates from government officials and private maritime monitors. U.S. officials told Axios that roughly 10 million barrels per day have exited the strait in recent weeks, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on August 11 that the seven-day average had climbed to nearly 9 million barrels per day.
In contrast, private firms offer lower figures. The maritime intelligence firm Windward estimated that crude oil exports averaged about 5 million barrels per day in July, up from 4 million in June and 1.6 million in May. Michelle Wiese Bockmann, a senior maritime intelligence analyst at Windward, noted that exports are scaling quickly despite Iranian pressure. Bridget Diakun, maritime intelligence and research director at Lloyd’s List, explained during a Thursday briefing that tracking remains complex because ships often transit at night while satellites capture imagery in the morning.
Contested Security Lanes and Tanker Risks
Control over the narrow 21-mile-wide waterway is sharply divided. Iran announced that it has closed the strait until the United States meets its obligations under the interim peace deal signed on June 17, while President Donald Trump maintains that the route is open and under U.S. control. Shipping uses two distinct lanes: the U.S. military assists vessels along a southern route near Oman and enforces a naval blockade against Iranian ports, while Tehran pressures ships to use a northern route through its territorial waters.
“It’s a contested security situation in the Strait of Hormuz,” said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at BIMCO. According to the International Maritime Organization, at least 17 commercial ships came under attack in and around the strait during July and August, resulting in four sailor deaths and more than a dozen injuries. Despite these high risks, tankers completing the journey earn $500,000 a day, with seafarers receiving double or triple their normal pay, according to Windward analyst Michelle Wiese Bockmann.
Pro Tip: Tracking Maritime Security
When analyzing crude oil flows through active conflict zones, cross-reference official military updates with independent maritime intelligence providers to account for nighttime transits and covert vessel movements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much oil has the U.S. military helped move through the Strait of Hormuz?
According to U.S. Central Command, the military has assisted in transporting more than 660 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since early May.
Why are there differing estimates on daily oil exports?
U.S. government agencies typically report higher daily figures than independent tracking firms, largely due to the challenges of monitoring ships that move covertly or transit at night.
Who controls the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz?
The waterway features a contested security setup: the U.S. military protects a southern route near Oman and blocks Iranian ports, while Iran asserts control over a northern route through its territorial waters.
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