Maritime Intelligence Reveals Iran Maintaining Crude Exports via Selective Hormuz Transit Control

Windward maritime intelligence analysis reveals that despite the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is selectively permitting transit and maintaining its own crude exports. Only 16 AIS-visible crossings occurred over seven days, with vessels routing through Iranian-controlled waters rather than standard commercial lanes. Approximately 8 million barrels loaded by Iran moved during the reporting period, with China receiving 79% of flows. A falsely flagged LPG carrier transited on March 21 while signaling China as its destination. Some 161 million barrels of Iranian-origin crude remain floating at sea, indicating sustained reliance on floating inventory to maintain export capability.