CBS On The Water: What We Saw in the Strait of Hormuz — Ships Waiting, Tension Beneath the Surface

It took weeks of planning before we attempted to reach the Strait of Hormuz by sea. Our goal was simple but risky: get close enough to one of the strait’s narrowest points to see for ourselves the tankers and cargo ships that had been stalled there for weeks.

We studied charts, rehearsed scenarios and mapped escape routes — who we would call if something went wrong and how we would get out. When a Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire involving the United States, Israel and Iran took effect, we judged the risk manageable and set out.

Accessing the Strait

Crossing a border between two Gulf countries, we followed a coastal road where jagged, vegetation‑free mountains rose on one side and clear blue water stretched into the Gulf on the other. As the road curved, dozens of ships came into view — not one or two, but many, motionless and waiting.

It’s easy to forget that roughly 20% of the world’s oil moves through this narrow channel. Since hostilities escalated, access to the waterway has been tightly restricted and journalists are generally not permitted there. So, posing as tourists at a small port, we asked discreetly around and were introduced to a local boatman we call Sharif.

On Board the Dhow

Sharif, originally from Egypt, has worked these waters for decades. In normal times tourists queue for trips; now there are almost none. After negotiating, he agreed to take us out for two hours for $120. His vessel was a traditional wooden dhow: worn and brown, with embroidered cushions on the benches.

Out on the water the first thing that struck us was how calm everything seemed. The surface lay flat and the coastline was quiet — for a moment it was hard to reconcile that scene with the tensions unfolding here. Dolphins rose alongside the dhow, weaving through the wake and catching the sunlight.

Minutes later, the waiting vessels appeared: tankers and cargo ships sitting idle. We kept our distance; a police vessel was visible in the distance. At one point a crewman on what looked like a cargo ship raised his hand and flashed a peace sign. We waved back.

"A quiet surface masking a complex reality below."

Geopolitics Below the Calm

The calm on the surface belied a more volatile picture underneath. In recent weeks Iran has sought to assert control over passage through the strait and has reportedly mined parts of it. At the same time, the United States has imposed a naval blockade targeting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports as part of efforts to pressure Tehran after negotiations broke down.

The result is not a simple shutdown but a complicated, partial disruption: some ships are moving, others are waiting, many are hedging, delaying or turning back. Even a partial interruption in a channel that carries one‑fifth of global oil supplies is enough to send shockwaves through markets.

Ceasefire, Movement — But Not Normalcy

When our time on the dhow ended we returned to shore and learned new developments: Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced the strait would be fully reopened to commercial shipping under a ceasefire tied to fighting in Lebanon — a 10‑day pause intended to prevent wider escalation. At the same time, President Trump signaled that U.S. pressure, including the naval blockade, would remain in place unless a broader agreement is reached.

Some vessels have begun to move again, but movement does not equal stability. Passage remains controlled, the risks have not disappeared, and the ceasefires are temporary. If a broader deal materializes, this episode may mark the peak of a volatile stretch in the global energy market; if it does not, the scene we observed — ships waiting, others proceeding cautiously — could become the new normal.

In the Strait of Hormuz, even the calmest water can mask a far more fragile reality below the surface.