Why is the Strait of Hormuz critical to global energy flows? | Explained

A narrow waterway off Oman and Iran carries one-fifth of the world's oil and one-third of its seaborne gas, making it a perpetual flashpoint. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Why is the Strait of Hormuz critical to global energy flows? | Explained

Contesto

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage between Oman and Iran, remains the world's most critical energy chokepoint, with approximately 20% of global oil consumption and a third of all seaborne liquefied natural gas (LNG) transiting its waters daily. This 21-mile-wide channel at its narrowest point is the sole sea route connecting the Persian Gulf's vast oil fields—primarily from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iran itself—to the open ocean and global markets. Any sustained disruption here would trigger immediate and severe shocks to the international economy, sending energy prices soaring and threatening the energy security of nations from Asia to Europe and North America. The strategic importance of the Strait stems from its function as a classic maritime chokepoint. These are narrow channels along widely used global sea routes that are so essential to trade that they cannot be avoided. Traffic through such passages is high, while the capacity for vessels to maneuver is severely limited by geography. The Strait of Hormuz is the quintessential example: all tankers from the Gulf must pass through Oman's territorial waters and the adjacent Iranian exclusive economic zone. This creates a natural bottleneck where shipping lanes are just two miles wide in each direction, separated by a two-mile buffer zone, making traffic highly vulnerable to blockades, military incidents, or political coercion. International law, primarily the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), provides the framework governing transit through these tense waters. The legal regime of "transit passage" applies, granting vessels and aircraft the freedom of navigation and overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of the strait. Coastal states like Oman and Iran cannot suspend this passage or impede transit, though they may adopt regulations concerning safety, pollution, and fishing. This legal right is fiercely defended by global naval powers, most notably the United States, which maintains a significant military presence in the region to ensure the Strait remains open, a policy often described as "freedom of navigation." This...

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Categoria: cronaca