Steer a cargo ship out of the Gulf. Keep to the pink shipping lane, steer clear of land, traffic and mines, and reach the open sea. Free to play.
nm means nautical mile, the unit ships use for distance. 1 nm is 1.852 km, or about 1.15 miles. Speed is shown in knots (kn): 1 knot is 1 nautical mile per hour.
The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea route out of the Gulf. Tap a place on the map to learn about it.
Schematic map, not for navigation. Coastlines are simplified and the lanes are approximate.
The strait is about 21 nautical miles wide at its narrowest, but deep-draught ships use an IMO traffic separation scheme of two lanes, each about 2 nm wide, with a 2 nm buffer between them. Outbound (laden) traffic keeps to the southern lane near Oman's Musandam peninsula; inbound traffic runs north, near Larak Island. Shoals under 50 m lie off Qeshm, Hengam and Larak.
The shamal is a dry north-westerly that carries dust, cuts visibility and builds rough seas. It peaks February to April and in summer. Tidal streams are strongest at the eastern entrance to the Gulf, and autumn brings sudden squalls.
In the first quarter of 2026 nearly a million jamming incidents hit more than 1,100 vessels in the region. Spoofed bridges have shown ships circling inland airports. Crews fall back on radar and visual fixes, and AIS now under-reports traffic by about half.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy stops and seizes merchant ships, citing smuggling or technical violations. The tanker Talara was seized in November 2025. In 2026 the IRGC ordered ships into Iranian-designated corridors and threatened enforcement against others.
Iran said it had mined the traffic separation scheme. Oman declared the existing lanes unsafe and opened temporary routes north and south of them. Tanker owners say clearance is the top priority.
Since March 2026 drones and missiles have struck ships and sites around the strait. The tanker Prima was hit after ignoring IRGC warnings. In one week of November 2026 the IRGC claimed a dozen ships had caught fire, most after striking mines.
Finish a transit to unlock the next one. Stars are for arriving fast, undamaged and in your lane.
Fast ships escape trouble. Strong ships survive it. Deep ships cannot cross shallow water. Bigger cargo pays more.
Apply to every ship you own.
▲▼ steer · ▶◀ speed · Esc pause and help
Hold a finger on the water above or below the ship to steer. + and − set the throttle. Stay in the magenta outbound lane.