The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow but extremely crucial maritime corridor which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Through this route nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies are transported daily. However, recent events involving the Iran–Israel war, including the involvement of the United States, have heightened security risks in the region, including threats to commercial shipping, increased military presence, and tighter control over strategic waters.
According to reports, Iran began targeting commercial vessels with missiles and drones in the days following coordinated US–Israel airstrikes on February 28, disrupting normal shipping movement and raising global concerns.
The resulting blockade sharply reduced traffic through the corridor, delaying or halting energy supplies to multiple countries, including India. This, as per multiple reports, along with rising risks and uncertainty, has pushed shipping operators to explore alternative routes.
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What’s behind the Oman route shift?
According to NDTV Datafy analysis based on AIS (Automatic Identification System) and remote sensing data, the shift lies in how ships are navigating the strait — by hugging Oman’s coastline and staying within its territorial waters. At least four commercial ships, including oil and LNG carriers, have already used this path, marking a departure from the usual international shipping lanes.
The analysis shows that by remaining within Oman’s territorial sea instead of entering international waters, vessels are able to avoid the most sensitive and closely monitored zones near Iran.
How ships are reducing risk
NDTV Datafy analysis further shows that vessels are avoiding international waters and instead staying within Oman’s territorial sea limits.
Some ships, including large crude and LNG carriers, were observed switching off their AIS transponders near key points such as the Musandam Peninsula, reducing their visibility on public tracking platforms, according to the analysis.
The route involves vessels sailing close to Oman’s coastline, allowing them to remain within Omani waters for a significant stretch and avoid higher-risk zones under Iranian control and surveillance. By doing so, ships reduce exposure to potential threats while continuing transit between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
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The route itself is tighter and requires more precise navigation, but it allows ships to continue moving through the strait while avoiding the most sensitive stretches.
Limitation of the new route
While the Oman route offers a temporary alternative, it shows limitations in capacity and cannot accommodate large-scale traffic.
As per NDTV Datafy analysis, the use of this alternate route reflects a shift in how ships are navigating the Strait of Hormuz under current conflict conditions. While it allows limited movement, the route remains constrained and could impact energy flows and supply chains.
The workaround appears to be temporary, with normal shipping unlikely to resume until regional tensions ease and security conditions improve, according to the analysis.
