Alternative routes cannot yet replace the Strait of Hormuz, analysis says
New pipelines and transport corridors may reduce limited dependence, but face major capacity, cost and security constraints.
The supplied analysis concludes that alternative energy and trade routes may provide limited short-term relief but cannot currently replicate the scale and strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
An analysis says projects designed to bypass the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz are unlikely, in the foreseeable future, to displace the waterway’s strategic role in global energy and trade. It cites proposed oil pipelines, expanded routes from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and planned rail and transit corridors as partial alternatives, while noting their dependence on significant investment, political stability and long implementation timelines.