Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-03-10 Origin: Site
The Strait of Hormuz, as the only passage from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, carries about 30% of the world's oil shipping volume and is a "throat passage" for global energy and trade. Recently, third-party maritime forces represented by the Pakistani Navy have aggressively entered the region, led by Chinese made Type 054A/P frigates to carry out armed escort missions, breaking the long-standing pattern of the US Iran binary confrontation. This measure not only reshapes the maritime security situation around the strait, but also has profound and complex impacts on global maritime transportation security, route layout, and regional trade patterns. Based on the current situation, specific analysis can be conducted from three dimensions.
Previously, the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz had always been dominated by the confrontation between the United States and Iran, with frequent asymmetric threats that posed extremely high security risks to maritime transportation. Iran's recent introduction of new regulations on cross-strait passage, missile strike operations, and military confrontation between the United States and Iran have led to a sharp decline in cross-strait passage, from 119 ships before the conflict on February 28 to only 5 ships on March 3, a decrease of over 95%. At the same time, international shipping insurance institutions have cancelled war risk coverage in the region, causing ships to face strong electronic interference, GPS signal failure, and other problems. Attacks and delays on merchant ships have repeatedly occurred, seriously threatening the safety of crew and cargo.
The intervention of third-party maritime forces led by Chinese warships has injected valuable stabilizing energy into the safety of transportation in the strait. The Pakistani Navy has launched the "Sea Guardian" operation, led by the Chinese made 054A/P frigate "Shah Jahan" for escort. The ship has balanced performance and is suitable for high threat environments in the strait. The active phased array radar it carries can simultaneously track hundreds of air and sea targets, effectively warning of threats such as low altitude cruise missiles, small armed speedboats, and stealth drones. The regional air defense circle constructed with a vertical launch system can provide comprehensive safety protection for escorting merchant ships. This neutral and non partisan escort model neither relies on the US led escort alliance nor forms a confrontation with Iran, effectively avoiding the escalation of factional conflicts. At the same time, through regular armed patrols, it suppresses asymmetric attacks and reduces the risk of merchant ships being misjudged or attacked.
It is worth noting that the escort of third-party forces is not comprehensive, and currently mainly focuses on the security of domestic merchant ships. For example, Pakistan relies on this strait for 90% of its foreign trade and over 80% of its oil imports, and its escort operations directly ensure the security of its own economic lifeline. At the same time, Iran has made it clear that friendly countries such as China, Russia, and India can operate normally, and the presence of third-party forces provides indirect security support for their merchant ships, which to some extent alleviates the security anxiety of global shipping companies. However, the overall security of the strait is still constrained by the confrontation between the United States and Iran, and long-term uncertainty still exists.
For a long time, the Strait of Hormuz has been the only channel for the export of oil from the Persian Gulf, and the shipping routes of most energy importing countries around the world are highly dependent on this "throat". The layout of shipping routes presents the characteristics of "singularity and high concentration". Once the situation in the strait becomes turbulent, global shipping routes will be put in a passive position. Previously, many international shipping giants have suspended bookings for Middle Eastern related routes and diverted goods in advance, such as Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping, which have suspended accepting bookings for goods entering and leaving countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Some ships have been forced to divert to Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing transportation costs and time.
The entry of third-party maritime forces will promote the transformation of global maritime routes from "single dependence" to "diversified layout" in the future. On the one hand, the existence of third-party escort forces has improved the stability of passage through the Strait of Hormuz, causing some merchant ships that originally chose to detour to reconsider passing through this channel, alleviating route congestion and diversion pressure. However, this return is a rational choice based on safety guarantees, rather than blind dependence. On the other hand, this situation has also made countries deeply aware of the fragility of a single route, and will accelerate the exploration and layout of alternative routes. For example, Japan has started developing a new generation of intelligent oil tankers to cope with risks, while India has taken measures to freeze fuel prices to cope with oil price fluctuations. At the same time, countries have begun to strengthen cooperation with surrounding ports such as Gwadar Port in Pakistan and Salalah Port in Oman, promote cargo transfer and diversion, and reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition, the escort operation led by Chinese warships has also promoted the deepening of regional route cooperation. The Type 054A/P frigate relies on a complete Chinese made sea air system support and has long-term independent deployment capabilities. Its escort range covers the Gulf of Oman and the eastern side of the strait, providing security for the maritime section of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and promoting stable operation of routes between China and Middle Eastern and South Asian countries. In the future, with the continued existence of third-party forces, the Strait of Hormuz route will no longer be the exclusive stage for great power games. Medium sized countries will promote the formation of a diversified route pattern of "main channel+backup channel" through independent escort and route cooperation, and enhance the risk resistance capability of global shipping.
The changing situation in the Strait of Hormuz directly affects the global energy and trade supply chain. The entry of third-party maritime forces will reshape the regional maritime transportation and trade pattern, presenting a situation of "coexistence of differentiation and cooperation". From the perspective of regional transportation, the intervention of third-party escort forces has effectively alleviated the transportation difficulties of some countries. For example, Pakistani merchant ships were stranded in the vicinity of the strait due to the turbulent situation, and domestic energy supply was in urgent need. After the escort operation was launched, the efficiency of merchant ship passage significantly improved, ensuring domestic industrial production and people's livelihood needs. At the same time, merchant ships from neutral countries are able to operate normally with the help of third-party forces, reducing the risk of transportation disruptions.
But the differentiation of regional transportation is becoming increasingly evident. 80% of export goods from Gulf Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are transported through the Strait of Hormuz. However, due to the deep binding of their regime security and the US military umbrella, they are unable to respond to Iran's new regulations on passage and still face uncertainty in the short term; 15% of European countries' oil imports rely on the strait, and the conflict has led to increased inflationary pressures. However, the constraints of the transatlantic alliance make it difficult to balance between the US Israel alliance and energy demand, and can only passively bear the impact of rising transportation costs and turbulent shipping routes. And friendly countries such as China, Russia, and India, with the convenience of Iran's transportation and the security guarantee of third-party forces, have been able to carry out regional transportation normally, forming a sharp contrast with the Western camp of the United States.
At the trade level, the entry of third-party maritime forces has promoted the reconstruction of regional trade cooperation. On the one hand, the crisis of passage through the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up international oil prices, shipping costs, and fertilizer prices. The report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development points out that this impact has affected the global supply chain, with particularly severe impacts on developing economies. Some countries, due to heavy debt burdens, are unable to absorb price shocks, leading to a contraction in trade volume. On the other hand, the neutral stance of third-party forces has provided new opportunities for regional trade cooperation. Pakistan has strengthened its trade links with Middle Eastern and South Asian countries through escort operations, and Gwadar Port, as a key node in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, has further highlighted its role in facilitating trade; The excellent performance of Chinese made warships has also promoted cooperation between China and relevant countries in areas such as shipping safety and ship equipment, injecting new impetus into regional trade stability.
Overall, the entry of third-party maritime forces led by Chinese warships into the Strait of Hormuz is an important manifestation of the independent maintenance of maritime rights and interests by medium-sized countries. Its impact on maritime transportation safety, route layout, and regional trade has a dual nature: it not only alleviates short-term security pressures and promotes route diversification, but also exacerbates regional transportation and trade differentiation. In the future, as the situation continues to evolve, the role of third-party forces will be further highlighted, and the global shipping and trade pattern will gradually form a new stable situation in the balance of great power games and diverse forces.
