31 Tankers Turned Back at Hormuz: The US Naval Blockade Is Now Stopping More Ships Than Iran

# 31 Tankers Turned Back at Hormuz: The US Naval Blockade Is Now Stopping More Ships Than Iran

> **Quick answer:** The US naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz has turned back 31 tankers and cut daily vessel crossings from a pre-conflict norm of 178 ships to just 12 — a 95% traffic collapse. Iran's seizures (MSC Francesca, Epaminondas, Euphoria) are now secondary to the blockade itself as the primary chokepoint of global oil supply. Brent crude is at $103.68 on Day 5 above $100, and war-risk insurance has reached $5 million per $100 million tanker.

The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed — and the United States Navy is now doing more of the closing than Iran. As of April 24, 2026, 31 tankers have been turned back by the US naval blockade, a number that dwarfs Iran's own ship seizure tally and has reduced the world's most critical oil chokepoint to a fraction of its normal throughput. This is not the story anyone predicted.

**This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified financial advisor for personal financial decisions.**

## The Numbers That Change the Narrative

The data is stark and worth reading slowly. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz processed approximately 178 vessels per day — roughly 20% of global seaborne oil trade and about 17 million barrels of crude, according to the US Energy Information Administration. In the past 24 hours, only 12 vessels made the crossing.