The world’s oceans are the lifeblood of global trade, carrying over 80% of international commerce by volume. Yet, this vast network of maritime highways narrows to just a handful of critical chokepoints that exert outsized influence on the flow of goods and energy around the globe. These strategic waterways, often no more than a few miles wide, act as gatekeepers to entire regions and continents, shaping geopolitics, economics, and military strategy.

Let’s embark on a journey through seven of the most crucial maritime chokepoints that control global trade and energy. These narrow passages are the pressure points of our interconnected world, where geography meets geopolitics in a delicate dance of power and commerce.

Our first stop is the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway separating Iran from the Arabian Peninsula. This 21-mile-wide channel is the single most important oil chokepoint in the world. Roughly 21 million barrels of oil pass through the strait each day, accounting for about one-third of the world’s seaborne oil trade. The strait’s strategic importance has made it a flashpoint for regional tensions, with Iran periodically threatening to close the waterway in response to international pressure.

“He who controls the Strait of Hormuz controls the world’s oil supply,” goes an old saying in the Persian Gulf. But what would happen if this vital artery of global energy trade were to be blocked?

Moving westward, we encounter the Suez Canal, an artificial waterway that has transformed global shipping since its opening in 1869. Connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, the Suez Canal saves ships from having to circumnavigate Africa, cutting journey times by up to two weeks. Today, about 12% of global trade passes through this 120-mile channel, including significant volumes of oil and natural gas from the Middle East to Europe.

The canal’s importance was starkly illustrated in March 2021 when a massive container ship, the Ever Given, ran aground and blocked the waterway for six days. The incident caused global supply chain disruptions and highlighted the fragility of our interconnected trade networks. It begs the question: How resilient is our global trade system to such unexpected disruptions?

Crossing the Atlantic, we arrive at the Panama Canal, a marvel of engineering that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This 50-mile waterway, completed in 1914, has been instrumental in shaping global trade patterns. It allows ships to avoid the long and perilous journey around South America’s Cape Horn, saving approximately 8,000 nautical miles on a journey from New York to San Francisco.

The canal handles about 6% of world maritime commerce, with the United States being its largest user. Its strategic importance is reflected in the words of American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan: “Whoever controls the Panama Canal controls the destiny of the world.” But as climate change threatens to alter rainfall patterns in the region, how will the canal adapt to ensure its continued operation?

Our journey now takes us to Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. This narrow, 550-mile stretch of water between Malaysia and Indonesia is the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It’s a vital conduit for trade between Europe, the Middle East, and the growing economies of East Asia.

Approximately 40% of world trade passes through the Strait of Malacca annually, including about 16 million barrels of oil per day. The strait’s importance to global energy security led to its description as one of the world’s “oil chokepoints” by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But with piracy and terrorism threats in the region, how can nations ensure the security of this crucial waterway?

Turning our attention to Europe, we encounter the Turkish Straits, comprising the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. These narrow waterways connect the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, serving as a crucial route for Russian and Central Asian oil exports. The Bosphorus, which runs through the heart of Istanbul, is one of the world’s narrowest straits used for international navigation.

About 3 million barrels of oil pass through the Turkish Straits each day, along with significant volumes of grain from Russia and Ukraine. The straits have been a source of geopolitical tension for centuries, with control over them being a key factor in numerous conflicts. As Turkey seeks to build a new canal to bypass the Bosphorus, how might this alter the strategic balance in the region?

At the western entrance to the Mediterranean, we find the Strait of Gibraltar, a narrow passage between Spain and Morocco. This 8-mile-wide strait is the only maritime connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a crucial route for European energy imports and a key passageway for global shipping.

The strait’s strategic importance has been recognized since ancient times, with the mythical Pillars of Hercules marking its entrance. Today, it sees the passage of about 300 ships daily, carrying oil, natural gas, and a wide variety of other goods. But as tensions between Morocco and Spain periodically flare up, how stable is the current arrangement governing the strait?

Our final stop is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. This strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, making it a critical route for oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf to Europe.

Approximately 6.2 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products pass through the Bab el-Mandeb each day. The strait’s name means “Gate of Tears” in Arabic, a reference to the dangers of its navigation. In recent years, these dangers have taken on a new form with piracy and regional conflicts threatening shipping. How can the international community ensure the safety and security of this vital waterway?

As we conclude our journey through these seven maritime chokepoints, it’s clear that they play a pivotal role in shaping global trade and energy flows. Their strategic importance extends far beyond economics, influencing geopolitics, military strategy, and international relations.

“Who rules the waves rules the world,” proclaimed the 16th-century explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. While the nature of sea power has changed since Raleigh’s time, control over key maritime chokepoints remains a crucial element of global influence.

These narrow waterways are the pressure points of our globalized economy. A disruption at any one of them can send shockwaves through global markets, causing price spikes, supply shortages, and economic uncertainty. They are also potential flashpoints for conflict, with nations vying for control or influence over these strategic passages.

As we look to the future, several questions emerge. How will climate change affect these crucial waterways? Will rising sea levels alter their geography or navigability? How will technological advances in shipping and alternative energy sources impact their importance? And perhaps most crucially, how can the international community ensure that these vital arteries of global trade remain open and secure in an increasingly uncertain world?

The story of these seven maritime chokepoints is, in many ways, the story of our interconnected global economy. They remind us of the physical realities that underpin our digital age, where a narrow strait halfway around the world can affect the price of goods in our local stores. Understanding their importance is key to grasping the complexities of global trade, energy security, and international relations in the 21st century.

As we navigate the choppy waters of an increasingly multipolar world, these maritime chokepoints will undoubtedly continue to play a crucial role in shaping global dynamics. They stand as testament to the enduring importance of geography in our interconnected age, reminding us that in the vast oceans of global trade, it’s often the narrowest passages that matter most.