# Hormuz Remains a Problem Zone: China Restructures Its Oil Route **Category:** Operational Alerts | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Updated:** 2026-09-12 **Tags:** HORMUS, Hormuz, Bab Al-Mandeb, China, Cosco, China Merchants, Tanker, Rohöl, Oman, Iran, Seefracht, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Digitalisierung, Zoll > China is diverting its oil shipments away from Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb. At the same time, a deadly attack on a cargo vessel demonstrates how high the risk remains. --- Bad news from Hormuz has become almost routine by now. Nevertheless, there is a development that is important for logistics: China is beginning a permanent restructuring of its oil supply. COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation and China Merchants Energy Shipping have not sent their tankers through the Strait of Hormuz or Bab al-Mandeb since the end of July. Before the Iran conflict, the two state-controlled shipping companies together transported approximately half of China's crude oil imports from the Middle East. The oil therefore reaches Chinese tankers via alternative routes. Large vessels take on cargo through ship-to-ship transfers – directly from one ship to another – off Fujairah or off the coast of Oman. In June and July alone, such transfers involving Chinese or Hong Kong-flagged vessels amounted to over 600,000 barrels per day according to Kpler. This comes at a cost. The daily rate for a VLCC on the Oman-China route was recently quoted at around 140,000 US dollars. Before the conflict, profits for such a tanker on comparable routes were significantly lower. That such caution is justified is demonstrated by a new incident. According to Splash247, the Panamax bulker "Minoan Dignity," sailing under a Liberian flag, was hit by an unknown projectile in the engine room approximately five nautical miles off Oman. The Chief Engineer was killed. In parallel, Iran is intensifying pressure on shipping. According to Fars, vessels are required to use an Iran-designated route, obtain permits, and pay service fees. However, the reported seizure of a UAE tanker near Qeshm has not yet been officially confirmed. The situation thus remains far from normal. On Monday, according to Kpler, only six cargo vessels were recorded passing through Hormuz. VLCCs for crude oil and LNG tankers were not among them. --- For normal container transport, Hormuz has become little more than background noise by now. For energy, chemical, and tank logistics, the situation is different. What is particularly interesting is that China is no longer waiting for Hormuz to return to normal operations. The supply chain is simply being restructured: alternative loading points, ship-to-ship transfers, longer transit routes, and higher freight rates. For shippers, this means: oil can continue to flow, but transport becomes more complicated and more expensive. These costs can subsequently be passed on to fuel, chemical products, and other energy-dependent goods. In short: Hormuz has not suddenly become worse. What's new is that major shippers and shipping lines are beginning to permanently plan around the problem. --- COSCO Shipping Energy and China Merchants Energy Shipping have avoided the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb since late July. Both companies previously transported together approximately half of China's crude oil imports from the Middle East. The two shipping lines together control more than 100 VLCC supertankers. Oil is increasingly being transferred via ship-to-ship transfers off Fujairah and Oman. The Oman-China daily rate recently stood at approximately USD 140,000. The bulk carrier "Minoan Dignity" was struck off Oman; the Chief Engineer died. The reported seizure of a UAE tanker at Qeshm has not yet been officially confirmed. According to Fars, Iran demands a predetermined route, authorization, and service fees for safe passages. On Monday, only six cargo vessel passages through the Strait of Hormuz were recorded. The US-Iran Memorandum agreed upon in June already broke down politically in July; the stipulated 60-day negotiation period has also since expired. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Egypt](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/eg) - [United Arab Emirates](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ae) - [Saudi Arabia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/sa) - [Iran](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ir) - [China](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cn) - [Oman](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/om) ### Seaports - [Al Fujayrah](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/al-fujayrah-port-1114) - [Sidi Kerir (Kurayr) (EG SKT)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/sidi-kerir-kurayr-port-eg-skt) - [Yanbu (SA YBI)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/yanbu-port-sa-ybi) ### Glossary - [Cargo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cargo) - [Freight](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight) - [Cargo ship](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cargo-ship) - [Shipping company](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/shipping-company) - [Goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/goods) - [Alternative Shipping Routes](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/alternative-shipping-routes) - [Strait of Hormuz](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/strait-of-hormuz) - [Hormuz Strait Bottleneck Management](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/hormuz-strait-bottleneck-management) - [Suez Canal Passage](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/suez-canal-passage) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/hormus-bleibt-problemzone-china-baut-seine-oelroute-um-20260818213158](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/hormus-bleibt-problemzone-china-baut-seine-oelroute-um-20260818213158)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/hormus-bleibt-problemzone-china-baut-seine-oelroute-um-20260818213158](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/hormus-bleibt-problemzone-china-baut-seine-oelroute-um-20260818213158)*