By Muhammad Mamman
Iran has reportedly shipped more than 11 million barrels of crude oil to China through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in the region, according to shipping data cited by CNBC. 
Satellite tracking data from maritime monitoring firms indicates that at least 11.7 million barrels of Iranian crude have transited the narrow waterway since the war began on February 28, despite escalating security risks and sharp declines in global tanker traffic. 
The shipments were reportedly all bound for China, Iran’s largest oil buyer, underscoring Beijing’s continued reliance on discounted Iranian crude even as tensions in the Gulf disrupt one of the world’s most critical energy routes. 
Analysts say some vessels involved in the deliveries have turned off their tracking systems — a practice known as “going dark” — to avoid detection, particularly as Western sanctions and military tensions intensify. Monitoring firms tracking tanker movements using satellite imagery were still able to estimate the shipments despite these tactics. 
The oil flows come amid a broader crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint through which around one-fifth of global oil supply normally passes. 
Shipping activity through the strait has plunged dramatically since the war escalated, with many tanker operators avoiding the route due to fears of attacks, mines and drone strikes in the area. 
Despite the disruption, Iran appears determined to maintain exports to China — a crucial revenue source for Tehran — even as tensions with Western powers threaten the stability of the global energy market.
Energy analysts warn that any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could send oil prices sharply higher and trigger wider economic consequences worldwide, given the waterway’s role as a vital artery for Gulf oil exports to Asia and beyond.
