March 11, 2026: Iran War Maritime Intelligence Daily in International Shipping News 12/03/2026 Operational Overview Transit activity through the Strait of Hormuz remained heavily suppressed on March 10, with only two outbound crossings recorded and no inbound movements observed. While this represents a slight increase from the previous day, volumes remain far below normal operating levels and continue to reflect a severely disrupted commercial shipping environment. At the same time, AIS-confirmed crossings do not reflect the full level of vessel activity inside the Strait. Remote Sensing Intelligence from March 10 detected eight dark vessels inside Hormuz. This indicates that limited transit continues to occur under highly constrained and partially visible conditions. Reports that Iran has begun preparations to deploy naval mines in the Strait further increase the risk that Hormuz could become temporarily closed to commercial shipping. The maritime threat environment worsened further on March 11. Multiple commercial vessels were reportedly struck in and around the Strait and adjacent waters, including the Mayuree Naree, ONE Majesty, and Star Gwyneth, while a UKMTO advisory confirmed another projectile strike north of Oman. These incidents reinforce that vessels willing to enter the area continue to face direct kinetic risk. Emerging behavioral patterns also suggest vessels may be using AIS destination broadcasts referencing Chinese ownership or crew to signal neutrality while attempting transit through the Strait. Beyond the chokepoint itself, the disruption is accelerating wider trade and supply-chain shifts. Traffic through Bab el-Mandeb remains below trend, Suez Canal crossings declined further, and Cape of Good Hope transits remain elevated as global route redistribution continues. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is rapidly scaling its Red Sea export pivot through Yanbu, with 27 VLCCs heading toward the terminal as Gulf export dependency shifts westward. Port exceptions are rising across the Gulf region, and the disruption is spreading into dry bulk commodities and global industrial supply chains. Additional dark or low-visibility maritime activity has also been detected near both the Strait of Hormuz and Cuban energy infrastructure. The crisis is now influencing far more than tanker traffic, affecting naval posture, commodity markets, and global trade routes across multiple theaters. Strait of Hormuz Traffic Transit activity through the Strait of Hormuz remained severely constrained on March 10. A total of two crossings were recorded, both outbound, representing a 100% increase compared with the previous day but still remaining below the seven-day average of 3.29 crossings. Hormuz crossings, March 10. Source: Windward Maritime AI™ Platform. Observed vessel subclasses included one bulk carrier and one vessel classified as Other / Unknown. Flag distribution included one Marshall Islands-flagged vessel and one Madagascar-flagged vessel. Recorded Transits Remote Sensing Intelligence confirms that there are eight dark vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on March 10 While this confirms that limited passage continues, the broader collapse in movement remains severe. Roughly 66 commercial vessels were recorded transiting Hormuz over a nine-day period, representing only a fraction of normal traffic volumes. Hormuz transits remain very low, only some sanctioned vessels and operators with larger risk appetite are transiting. Source: Vortexa A larg