Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet? • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#71

Post by foresterre » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:00 AM UTC

According to the Financial Times (1), the straight is "open" but Iran is extorting fees for passing ships.

> "Iran will demand that shipping companies pay tolls in cryptocurrency for oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as it seeks to retain control over passage through the key waterway during the two-week ceasefire."

If they really will start doing so for all shipping, that would be odd since the straight itself is in Oman's territorial waters. Even so, the UNCLOS convention (2) requires free transit:

> Article 44 > Duties of States bordering straits > > States bordering straits shall not hamper transit passage and shall give appropriate publicity to any danger to navigation or overflight within or over the strait of which they have knowledge. There shall be no suspension of transit passage.

It would be unprecedented and unlawful, but I guess previous actions of Israel, the US and Iran have shown our world is beyond adhering to laws and agreements now.

(1) https://www.ft.com/content/02aefac4-ea62-48db-9326-c0da373b1... (2) United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea: https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unc...

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#72

Post by anonfunction » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:05 AM UTC

namewithhe1d wrote: post #62

OP, DM me and I'll get you a persistent key for this data. Not from MarineTraffic

Wow thanks, there's not really any dm functionality on hn and I didn't see a clear social handle in your profile. https://github.com/montanaflynn/ has my email.

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#73

Post by femiagbabiaka » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:05 AM UTC

foresterre wrote: post #71

According to the Financial Times (1), the straight is "open" but Iran is extorting fees for passing ships. > "Iran will demand that shipping companies pay tolls in cryptocurrency for oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as it seeks to retain control over passage through the key waterway during the two-week ceasefire." If they really will start doing so for all shipping, that would be odd since the straig…

Oman and Iran are splitting the fees RE: the statements by Iran.

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#74

Post by anonfunction » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:10 AM UTC

foresterre wrote: post #71

According to the Financial Times (1), the straight is "open" but Iran is extorting fees for passing ships. > "Iran will demand that shipping companies pay tolls in cryptocurrency for oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as it seeks to retain control over passage through the key waterway during the two-week ceasefire." If they really will start doing so for all shipping, that would be odd since the straig…

It's super hard to tell what's actually happening. Because I've seen other reports that Iran state media halted traffic earlier today, as reported by Washington Post[1]:

> With Trump and Iran each claiming victory, but still far apart on key issues, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained at a standstill Wednesday.

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/04/08/trump-iran-w...

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#75

Post by AnimalMuppet » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:11 AM UTC

femiagbabiaka wrote: post #73

foresterre wrote: post #71

According to the Financial Times (1), the straight is "open" but Iran is extorting fees for passing ships. > "Iran will demand that shipping companies pay tolls in cryptocurrency for oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as it seeks to retain control over passage through the key waterway during the two-week ceasefire." If they really will start doing so for all shipping, that would be odd since the straig…

Oman and Iran are splitting the fees RE: the statements by Iran.

But collected by Iran, not by Oman. Which is weird, if it's really Oman's territorial waters.

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#76

Post by HiroProtagonist » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:12 AM UTC

namewithhe1d wrote: post #62

OP, DM me and I'll get you a persistent key for this data. Not from MarineTraffic

Very cool thing of you to do.

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#77

Post by amusingimpala75 » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:15 AM UTC

Missed opportunity for “arewehormuzyet.com”

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#78

Post by tomtomtom777 » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:16 AM UTC

This is a nice overview, but please remove the PolyMarket indicator. It is an obscene prediction mechanism as it creates horrible financial incentives to a war situation. Its degenerate effects have been featured here before. [1]

Let's not condone "measurements" that are effectively ways for people to gain money on important political decisions, affecting the lives of many people.

(1) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47397822

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#79

Post by anonfunction » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:17 AM UTC

seattle_spring wrote: post #70

Cool! Heads up, you're probably running afoul of some TOS by hiding the map data attributions.

Ahh, thanks I'll remedy that now, wasn't intentional I'll blame Claude.

Re: Show HN: Is Hormuz open yet?

#80

Post by FrustratedMonky » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 12:19 AM UTC

tomtomtom777 wrote: post #78

This is a nice overview, but please remove the PolyMarket indicator. It is an obscene prediction mechanism as it creates horrible financial incentives to a war situation. Its degenerate effects have been featured here before. [1] Let's not condone "measurements" that are effectively ways for people to gain money on important political decisions, affecting the lives of many people. (1) https://news.ycombinator.com/ite…

> "obscene"

And yet, it is the wisdom of the crowds. The crowds being obscene.

Aren't we all constantly hitting re-fresh for updates, and making predictions.

The prediction markets are just consolidating that 'desire'.