Planet Money How to get through the Strait of Hormuz
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Apr 14, 2026 
Hamid Hosseini, an Iranian oil export spokesperson, explains how ships reportedly sought permission and paid crypto tolls to pass the Strait of Hormuz. Christian St. Clair, a comics production manager, follows delayed book shipments caught in the chaos. It’s a tense story of chokepoints, shipping risk, stranded vessels, and the global trade shakeup hanging on one narrow waterway.
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Comics Publisher Watches Books Get Caught In Strait
- Christian St. Clair tracked a bright-pink container ship, the One Majesty, after it was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and feared his India-printed books were stranded.
- The ship showed delayed arrival dates, then ‘location unknown,’ creating personal anxiety about global conflict impacting small publishers.
Control Of Hormuz Created A Strategic Chokepoint
- Iran used control of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage, attacking ships and declaring parts unsafe to force rerouting close to Iranian shores.
- That tactic turned the strait into an effective choke point for oil, helium, and fertilizer exports, disrupting global supply.
Iran Approved Ships After Detailed Vetting
- Hamid Hosseini relayed an Indian shipper's story: to transit, the owner sent vessel details and received approval from Iran's SEPA Navy.
- Iran checked flag, crew nationality, owner, destination, then approved passage contingent on payment.
