Maritime chokepoint

A narrow or strategically important sea passage through which a substantial share of maritime traffic must travel, concentrating trade and naval movement along a vulnerable route.

Strait: A narrow natural waterway connecting two larger bodies of water. Many maritime chokepoints are straits whose narrow geography funnels ships.
Strait of Hormuz: A narrow passage between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, bordered by Iran and Oman. It is a major route for seaborne exports of oil and liquefied natural gas.
Energy security: The reliable availability of energy at affordable prices. Dependence on narrow oil and gas routes makes energy supply vulnerable to disruption.
Open ocean: The broad, relatively unobstructed waters of the world's oceans beyond coastal seas. Open ocean usually offers ships more routing options than a confined passage.
Arctic shipping routes: Sea routes through Arctic waters that connect the Atlantic and Pacific regions. Reduced sea ice may make alternative routes more usable and shift traffic patterns.
Canal: An artificial waterway built to connect bodies of water or provide a navigable route. Canals such as Suez create chokepoints by concentrating traffic on a constructed shortcut.
Strait of Malacca: A narrow sea passage between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is a heavily used route linking East Asian markets with the Indian Ocean.
Maritime security: The protection of vessels, ports, and maritime infrastructure from threats and disruption. Safeguarding chokepoints is a central concern of maritime security.
Cape route: A maritime route that rounds a continent's cape instead of using a canal or narrow passage. It can bypass a chokepoint, usually at the cost of longer travel and fuel use.
Northern Sea Route: A shipping route along Russia's Arctic coast connecting the Barents Sea region with the Bering Strait. Its changing accessibility raises questions about future trade, governance, and strategic control.

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