Which country has control over the sea route in 2026, here are the details

Ever since the Russia-Ukraine war started, the world has been repeatedly hearing that some sea route was attacked, somewhere oil tankers were targeted, and somewhere the grain supply was affected. Then during the America-Israel-Iran conflict, the entire world’s attention was focused on the Strait of Hormuz, because about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through here. Meanwhile, on July 4, 2026, Ukrainian President Zelensky claimed that Russia has now lost its previous dominance over the Black Sea. He says that the balance of power in the sea has changed due to the actions of Ukraine’s navy and security forces. In such a situation, the question arises that which countries are under the control of the most important maritime trade routes of the world? Is there complete control by any one country or do international rules apply? Let us know what is the situation in 2026.

1. Black Sea

The Black Sea, approximately 1,175 kilometers long and 611 kilometers wide, is a semi-closed sea located between Europe and Asia. Its total area is about 4.36 lakh square kilometers. Its borders are with Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia. The only way to connect the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea is through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits. For Russia and Ukraine, it is one of the most important maritime areas in the world in terms of grain, oil and military activities.

If we talk about control, the Black Sea is not controlled by any one country. After the occupation of Crimea in 2014, Russia’s influence had increased significantly and its Black Sea Fleet remained stationed in Sevastopol. But after the war started in 2022, Ukraine damaged many Russian warships and naval bases with maritime drones and long-range missiles. Due to this, Russia had to remove many of its ships from Crimea. Talking about now, according to Ukrainian President Zelensky, Russia has lost control over the Black Sea as before. Russia is still present militarily, but it no longer has unilateral dominance over the entire sea. At present it is considered a contested and disputed maritime area.

2. Strait of Hormuz

The most discussed sea route among these is Strait of Hormuz. When Iran closed it during the war, the heat of that decision fell on many countries across the world, India being one of them. This strait, approximately 167 kilometers long, is considered the most important energy route in the world. Its width in the narrowest part is about 33 kilometers, while the lane designated for the movement of ships is only about 3 kilometers wide. It connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. About 20 percent of the world’s seaborne oil trade and a large amount of LNG passes through this route.

Iran is on the northern coast of this sea route and Oman is on the southern coast. Under international law, this is an international shipping route, but from a military point of view, Iran is considered to have the strongest hold here. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard regularly patrols here, while the navies of the US and its allies are also deployed in the area. Geographically it is between Iran and Oman, but practically Iran has the most military influence in this entire region. As of now, Iran is in possession of it.

3. Bosphorus and Dardanelles

The Bosphorus Sea Route is approximately 31 kilometers long and its width ranges from 700 meters to 3.7 kilometers. Whereas Dardanelles is about 61 kilometers long and 1.2 to 6 kilometers wide. Together, these two connect the Black Sea to the Sea of ​​Marmara and then to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the only sea route for countries like Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania and Bulgaria to reach the world market. Complete administrative control over these two straits Türkiye is near. After the Russia-Ukraine war, Turkey has strictly enforced the rules of the Montreux Convention on the entry of warships.

4. Strait of Malacca

The approximately 930 kilometer long Strait of Malacca is among the busiest maritime trade routes in the world. Its narrowest part is about 2.8 kilometers wide near Singapore. It connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. About 25 to 30 percent of the world’s sea trade and most of Asia’s oil imports pass through this route. No one country has control. Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore jointly ensure its security. China is developing alternative corridors to reduce its dependence on this route.

5. Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is one of the most important artificial canals in the world, located in Egypt. Its length is 193.3 kilometers. It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and provides the shortest sea route between Europe and Asia. About 10 to 12 percent of the world’s maritime trade travels through this canal. The entire operation of the Suez Canal is done by the Suez Canal Authority of the Egyptian government. All ships passing through here have to pay fixed fees, which is a major source of income for the Egyptian economy.

6. Panama Canal

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Due to its construction, ships do not have to make the thousands of kilometer long round trip to Cape Horn in South America. Every year thousands of cargo ships pass through this canal. Its length is approximately 82 kilometers. America started making it between 1903 and 1904 and it was built in 1914. From then till 1999, its control was with America, but from December 31, 1999, its entire operation was handed over to Panama. Today it is operated by the Panama Canal Authority.

7. Bab-el-Mandeb

The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Its length is about 65 kilometers and the width of its narrowest part is about 29 kilometers. Almost all the ships going to Europe via Suez Canal pass through this route. A large part of the world’s oil and container trade also depends on this route. No single country has complete control over this route. Due to Houthi attacks, the navies of America, Britain and European countries are continuously patrolling here. Therefore, it has become one of the most militarily monitored sea routes in the world.

Overall, in today’s world, sea routes have become not only for trade but also the biggest means of showing the power and influence of countries. The Russia-Ukraine war showed that even the largest navy cannot maintain its dominance forever. At the same time, routes like Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb and the Red Sea proved that the world’s supply of oil and goods rests on a few narrow sea routes. The situation in 2026 is such that only one country has administrative control over some sea routes, such as Suez, Panama and Bosphorus. At the same time, areas like Black Sea, Hormuz and Bab-al-Mandeb still remain a major center of conflict, military presence and global tension between many countries.