Chokepoints and risks
Most seaborne oil passes a handful of straits and canals. Each one limits the size of ship, adds dues or waiting time, or carries a security risk. Here is what we know about each, with sources, and how our quotes account for it.
Strait of Hormuz
The only sea route out of the Persian Gulf, carrying 20.9 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025. Since March 2026 tanker traffic has fallen to between 0.4 and 5.4 ships a day, against 30 to 58 a day in 2025, as the US MARAD warns of attacks on merchant ships. Saudi and UAE pipelines can move about 4.7 million barrels a day around the strait.
- In our quotes
- No fee and no extra time. War-risk insurance is not included.
- Share of our routes
- 18% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Strait of Hormuz on the shortest route (2,288).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| oil flow 1H25 | 20.9 (crude 14.7 / products 6.1) mb/d | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| vessel size limit | none (deep enough for largest crude tankers) | EIA statement | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| tanker transits 2026 | 0.4–5.4 per day (Mar–Oct 2026) vs 30–58/day in 2025 tankers/day | AIS-based; dark/escorted transits undercounted — lower bound | 2026 | IMF PortWatch chokepoints database (C) |
| bypass pipelines | ~4.7 (Saudi East-West + UAE ADCOP); Goreh–Jask ~0.3 mb/d | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | ||
| US MARAD advisory | 2026-011: Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman — Iranian attacks on commercial vessels (missiles, UAVs, unmanned boats, navigation interference) | advisory, not a legal prohibition for all flags | 2026-09-09 | US MARAD advisory, quoted in our research handbook (D) |
Bab el-Mandeb
Joins the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden: 4.2 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025. Houthi attacks on shipping since November 2023 keep it a Joint War Committee listed area, and tanker transits fell to about 8 a day in August–October 2026 from 14 to 15 a day in February–June.
- In our quotes
- No fee. Where a route passes the Red Sea, the quote also shows the longer route around Africa.
- Share of our routes
- 30% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Bab el-Mandeb on the shortest route (3,792).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| oil flow 1H25 | 4.2 (crude 2.4 / products 1.8) mb/d | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| security | Houthi attacks on shipping since Nov 2023; tanker transits 8.0–8.6/day Aug–Oct 2026 vs 13.8–15.0 Feb–Jun 2026 | JWC listed area (JWLA-034) | 2026 | IMF PortWatch chokepoints database (B) |
Suez Canal
Links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea: 4.9 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025, counting the SUMED pipeline. Loaded ships may draw up to 66 ft (20.1 m) if their beam is at most 50 m; wider ships follow the canal authority's draught-by-beam table. Ships sail in two convoys a day, so a wait of up to a day is normal, and since 15 July 2026 crude tankers pay a temporary surcharge of 37 % laden and 27 % in ballast. The SUMED pipeline, 2.5 million barrels a day, lets the largest tankers skip the canal.
- In our quotes
- Canal dues sized to the tanker, for the laden transit and the ballast return, and 1 day of transit time. The quote also shows a route that avoids Suez and the Red Sea.
- Share of our routes
- 32% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Suez Canal on the shortest route (3,970).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUMED pipelinecapacity | 2.5 mb/d | Ain Sukhna → Sidi Kerir; tariff not public | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| Suez Canalmax draught | 66 (20.12) ft (m) | loaded; only with beam ≤164'0" (49.99 m); must not exceed Tropical LL; sea trial before first passage if >50 ft | Dec 2020 edition (in force 1 Jan 2021) | Suez Canal Authority (A) |
| Suez Canalmax draught vs beam | Table 2 (313 rows, 66'0"↔164'0" … 40'0"↔254'3") ft / m | loaded, both directions | Dec 2020 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalmax draught, ballast | ≤ 40 ft | any beam up to 254'3" (Table 1, "recommended") | Dec 2020 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalmax beam | 254'3" (77.50) ft (m) | >210 ft only with beam wind ≤10 kn; larger by special request | Dec 2020 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalmax LOA | 400 m | longer by special arrangement | Dec 2020 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalmax air draft | 68 m | above HHWL | Dec 2020 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canaltransit speed | 14 km/h | loaded oil tankers / bulk with draught >44 ft; others 16 km/h | Dec 2020 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalmax loaded ship (headline) | 240,000 DWT | indicative; binding rule is Table 2 | undated web page (2015 column) | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalmax water depth | 24 m | 2010/2015 | undated | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canalcrude tanker toll surcharge | +37 laden / +27 ballast % of normal dues | from 15 Jul 2026; temporary | 7 Jun 2026 | SCA (A) |
| Suez Canaloil flow 1H25 (incl. SUMED) | 4.9 (crude 2.8 / products 2.1) mb/d | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| Suez Canalconvoys | 2 per day (southbound 03:30, northbound 04:00); arrive Port Said by 23:00 for next southbound convoy | implies up to ~1 day wait | Suez Canal Authority (A) |
Turkish Straits
The Bosporus and the Dardanelles join the Black Sea to the Mediterranean; 3.7 million barrels a day passed the Dardanelles in the first half of 2025. The Bosporus is 17 nm long and narrows to under half a mile. Tankers of 200 m or longer pass it in daylight only, pilots and escort tugs are strongly recommended, and strong currents close the strait to tankers.
- In our quotes
- About $25,000 per strait for escort tugs, pilotage and dues, four passages on a Black Sea round voyage, and 0.7 days of transit time.
- Share of our routes
- 10% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Turkish Straits on the shortest route (1,208).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| daylight-only transit | LOA ≥ 200 m | Bosporus; oil/chem/gas tankers (laden or not gas-free); also all ships ≥250 m, deep-draught ships, tows | in force 1 Jan 2024, consolidated with 1 Oct 2025 amendments (file 7 Oct 2025) | T.C. UAB Denizcilik Genel Müdürlüğü (A) |
| pilot + tugs | strongly recommended | Bosporus; tankers ≥150 m (Art. 15(1)–(2)) | 2025 consol. | DGM (A) |
| daylight + pilot + tugs | strongly recommended | Dardanelles; tankers ≥200 m, deep-draught ships (Art. 15(4), amended 1 Oct 2025) | 2025 consol. | DGM (A) |
| escort tug bollard pull | ≥ 60 t | ship LOA ≥150 m (Art. 7(1)(e)) | 2025 consol. | DGM (A) |
| current limits | 4–6 kn: tankers <10 kn not admitted; 6–7 kn: tankers not admitted; ≥7 kn: closed kn | Art. 14 | 2025 consol. | DGM (A) |
| deep-draught definition | ≥ 15 m | 2019 Regulation definitions | 15 Aug 2019 | Resmî Gazete (D) |
| light dues, transit w/o call (round trip) | 2.814 / 1.407 USD per NT | first 800 NT / NT above 800; foreign merchant ship | in force 16 Sep 2026 | Kıyı Emniyeti Genel Müdürlüğü (A) |
| rescue dues, transit w/o call (round trip) | 0.67 USD per NT | foreign merchant ship | 16 Sep 2026 | KEGM (A) |
| pilotage per strait passage | 600 + 107 per extra 1,000 GRT USD | non-passenger column (label inferred); stage 3 h Istanbul / 5 h Çanakkale | 16 Sep 2026 | KEGM (A) |
| escort tug fee, tanker 150–299.99 m | 10,000 (Istanbul) / 12,000 (Çanakkale, 200–299.99 m) USD per passage | fixed fee | 16 Sep 2026 | KEGM (A) |
| oil flow 1H25 (Dardanelles) | 3.7 (crude 2.2 / products 1.5) mb/d | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| length | Bosporus 17 nm; Dardanelles 37 nm; narrowest <0.5 nm nm | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) |
Panama Canal
Since 28 September 2026 the Neopanamax locks take ships of up to 14.94 m (49 ft) draught, 370 m long and 51.25 m wide. The canal offers 33 transit slots a day, 10 of them Neopanamax, and in September 2026 ships spent about 38 hours in canal waters. It carried 2.3 million barrels a day in fiscal 2025, almost all of it products.
- In our quotes
- Tolls by size band for the laden transit and the ballast return, and 1.6 days of transit time. The quote also shows a route that avoids the canal.
- Share of our routes
- 7% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Panama Canal on the shortest route (845).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| max authorized draft | 14.94 (49.0) m (ft) TFW | Neopanamax; effective 28/29 Sep 2026 until further notice | 28 Sep 2026 | Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (A) |
| Canal Waters Time, avg | 37.97 h | Sep 2026, all ships | 9 Oct 2026 | ACP (A) |
| In-Transit Time, avg | 11.59 h | Sep 2026, all ships | 9 Oct 2026 | ACP (A) |
| daily slots | 33 (10 Neopanamax) slots/day | booking dates from 15 Oct 2026 | 28 Sep 2026 | ACP (A) |
| oil flow FY | 2.3 (crude 0.1 / products 2.2) mb/d | FY2025 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| Neopanamax max LOA x beam | 370.33 x 51.25 m | design max (ACP OP Notice N-1-2025) | 2025 | Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (A) |
| Panamax max LOA x beam x draft | 289.6 x 32.4 x 12.04 m | TFW; LOA 294.43 m for container/passenger | 2025 | Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (A) |
| Trans-Panama pipeline | 864 kb/d | capacity | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) |
Strait of Malacca and Singapore Strait
The shortest route between the Indian Ocean and East Asia and the largest oil flow of any chokepoint: 23.2 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025. Deep-draught ships and VLCCs must keep 3.5 m of water under the keel through the whole passage and slow to 12 knots in places. Going through the Sunda Strait adds about 625 nm between Ras Tanura and Ningbo; through Lombok and Makassar, about 1,237 nm.
- In our quotes
- No fee; 0.1 days of transit time.
- Share of our routes
- 17% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Strait of Malacca on the shortest route (2,127).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UKC | ≥ 3.5 m | DDV (draught ≥15 m) and VLCC (≥150k DWT), entire passage | 1 Dec 2019 | MPA (reproducing IMO SN/Circ.198) (A) |
| speed limit | ≤ 12 kn SOG | DDV/VLCC at One Fathom Bank, DW routes, westbound St John's–Raffles | 1 Dec 2019 | MPA (A) |
| max draught | not published m | must be derived from charted depth − 3.5 m | — (E) | |
| oil flow 1H25 | 23.2 (crude 16.6 / products 6.5) mb/d | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| alternatives | Sunda (+625 nm Ras Tanura–Ningbo); Lombok–Makassar (+1,237 nm) nm | searoute 1.6.0 computation | Our route computation (searoute) (C) |
Danish Straits
The Baltic Sea's outlet, used by tankers from Russian, Finnish and Polish ports: 4.9 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025. Deep-draught ships take Route T through the Great Belt, about 17 m deep at best and up to 2 m less at times. No official maximum draught is published, and a pilot is recommended from 11 m. The Kiel Canal shortcut takes only small tankers.
- In our quotes
- No fee and no extra time. Quotes do not yet apply the Route T draught limit.
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danish Straitsmax obtainable depth | 17 (16.4 NE of Gedser) m | Route T; depth may be up to 2 m less | v16.0 Feb 2025 | Danish Emergency Management Agency / IMO SN.1/Circ.263 (A) |
| Danish Straitspilot recommended | ≥ 11 m draught | Route T; IMO recommendation | Feb 2025 | DEMA / IMO (A) |
| Danish Straitsofficial max draught | none published | Route T; ship must judge safe draught incl. squat | Feb 2025 | DEMA (A) |
| Danish Straitsplanning depth envelope | 17 → 15 (16.4 → 14.4 NE of Gedser) m | Route T; normal vs worst-case available depth; safe draught = depth − squat − UKC | — (C) | |
| Danish Straitsvertical clearance | 65 m | only some spans; air draught >64 m pass near centreline | Feb 2025 | DEMA (A) |
| Danish Straitsoil flow 1H25 | 4.9 (crude 2.7 / products 2.2) mb/d | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) | |
| Kiel Canalmax LOA x beam x draft | 235 x 32.5 x 9.5 m | ≤160 m LOA for 9.5 m; ~7 m at max length; small tankers only | Wikipedia (secondary) (D) | |
| Danish Straitsdepth | 16.5 m | Route T - deep-water route NE of Gedser; IMO SN.1/Circ.263 (23 Oct 2007) designed minimum depth of the deep-water route NE of Gedser | Danish Emergency Management Agency 'Navigation through Danish Waters' v16.0 (Feb 2025), incl. IMO SN.1/Circ.263 (A) | |
| Danish Straitsother | SOUNDREP mandatory for ships >=300 GT; reporting required when passing Drogden dredged channel with air draught >35 m (Order no. 924 of 25 Aug 2011) | The Sound (Øresund) - Drogden dredged channel; Sound route (Route S) - not used by deep-draught tankers; Drogden channel depth not extracted (map pages) | Danish Emergency Management Agency 'Navigation through Danish Waters' v16.0 (Feb 2025), incl. IMO SN.1/Circ.263 (A) |
Strait of Gibraltar
The Atlantic entrance to the Mediterranean, with no restriction on ship size.
- In our quotes
- No fee and no extra time.
- Share of our routes
- 34% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Strait of Gibraltar on the shortest route (4,247).
Cape of Good Hope
The open-ocean route around Africa: 9.1 million barrels a day in the first half of 2025, with no restriction on ship size. Ships take it when they avoid Suez and the Red Sea.
- In our quotes
- No fee and no extra time.
- Share of our routes
- 12% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Cape of Good Hope on the shortest route (1,491).
| Item | Value | Conditions | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| oil flow 1H25 | 9.1 (crude 6.1 / products 2.9) mb/d | no size restriction | 1H25 | EIA World Oil Transit Chokepoints (updated 2026-03-03; flows from Vortexa) (B) |
Sunda and Lombok Straits
Indonesian straits that bypass Malacca. Lombok is the deep-water alternative for VLCCs. Depth limits for deep-draught tankers in either strait are not verified yet.
- In our quotes
- No fee and no extra time.
- Share of our routes
- 4% of the 12,561 port pairs we price pass the Sunda Strait on the shortest route (557).