A Gooseberry and a Tear: The other crucial Straits of the Indian Ocean
Iran has established a new authority to manage vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies. This move formalizes a toll system for ships transiting the strait, which is vital for international trade. The Indian Ocean, home to other significant straits, plays a crucial role in global maritime commerce.
- ▪Iran has set up the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to oversee vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz.
- ▪The Indian Ocean sees around 100,000 ships transit its waters each year, accounting for roughly 30% of global container traffic.
- ▪Bab-el-Mandeb and the Strait of Malacca are also critical straits that link major sea routes and facilitate a significant portion of global trade.
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Head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, on Saturday (May 16, 2026) announced on X that Iran “has prepared a professional mechanism to manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.” This announcement came just a few days after reports indicated that Iran had set up a new body, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, to oversee vessel movement through the strait.With these two developments, Iran has effectively formalised a toll system for the vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the sole maritime gateway for one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies, as per U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA) data.
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