While major shipping companies such as Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd have implemented overland trucking routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz during recent disruptions, these alternatives can only handle a fraction of the cargo typically moved through the strait.
Approximately 20 million barrels of oil, representing about 20% of the global supply, pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily. Replacing even a single supertanker's capacity of 2 million barrels would require around 10,000 trucks, making land-based solutions logistically infeasible for the daily volume.
Existing pipeline infrastructure, such as Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and the UAE's Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, offers some flexibility. However, these pipelines can only carry a limited fraction of the total volumes, falling far short of the 20 million barrels per day transported via the strait. The International Energy Agency has noted the limited capacity of these alternative routes.
Proposals for new canals or large-scale bypass projects, some estimated at $200 billion, face significant engineering challenges, including mountainous terrain and potential new chokepoints. Air transport is even less viable due to prohibitive costs and limited cargo capacity for bulk crude. Naval efforts to secure traffic also have limited impact, potentially restoring only about 10% of pre-conflict shipping levels.
Ultimately, the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical energy chokepoint without practical, scalable alternatives for the vast majority of oil and gas shipments. The current overland routes, while providing some relief, are temporary and insufficient solutions for the long-term transport needs of Gulf exporters like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE.
