Hormuz Strait Transit Monitor#

Track shipping transit data through the Strait of Hormuz - a critical chokepoint for global oil supply.

Quick Start#

bash

# Run the monitor
python ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/hormuz-strait-monitor/scripts/hormuz_monitor.py

# With notification channel
python ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/hormuz-strait-monitor/scripts/hormuz_monitor.py --channel wecom

# Debug mode (keep browser visible)
python ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/hormuz-strait-monitor/scripts/hormuz_monitor.py --debug

Data Collected#

SourceFieldFormatExamplehormuzstraitmonitor.comTransits (24h)Number of ships6 shipsDay NormalDaily average60/dayDaily ThroughputDWT (Deadweight Tonnage)500K DWTAvg ThroughputAverage DWT10.3Mshipxy.comNon-Iranian VesselsCount from vessel list4 vessels

Data Sources#

SourceURLData Collectedhormuzstraitmonitor.comhttps://hormuzstraitmonitor.com/Transits (24h), Daily Throughput, Day Normal, Avg Throughputshipxy.comhttps://www.shipxy.com/special/hormuzNon-Iranian vessels exiting strait in 12h

Both sites require JavaScript rendering - static HTTP fetch will not work.

Alert Conditions#

Alert triggers when any condition is met:

ConditionThresholdMeaningTransits Recovery>= 10 vesselsAbsolute recovery thresholdTransits Recovery>= 20% of day normalRelative recovery thresholdThroughput Recovery>= 20% of avgOil flow returningNon-Iranian Vessels>= 10 exiting in 12hWestern/Asian shipping activity

Output#

Data is appended to CSV: ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory/hormuz-transit-data.csv

Columns:

• timestamp - Collection time
• transits_24h - Vessels transited in last 24h
• daily_throughput - Current daily oil flow
• day_normal - Normal daily transit count
• avg_throughput - Average daily throughput
• non_iranian_vessels - Non-Iranian vessels exiting in 12h
• alerts - Alert messages (if any)

Configuration#

See references/config.json for threshold customization.

To enable notifications:

1. Edit references/config.json
2. Set "channel": "wecom" or other supported channel
3. Or use --channel flag at runtime

Environment Requirements#

Required:

• Google Chrome (installed at /usr/bin/google-chrome)
• Python 3.x
• selenium + webdriver-manager

Install dependencies:

bash

pip install selenium webdriver-manager

Chrome version: This skill uses Chrome 147+ (headless mode).

Workflow#

1. Fetch hormuzstraitmonitor.com
   • Launch headless Chrome
   • Wait for JavaScript rendering (~10s)
   • Parse Transits (24h), Daily Throughput, Day Normal, Avg
   • Use regex patterns for data extraction
2. Fetch shipxy.com
   • Navigate to Chinese shipping portal
   • Wait for rendering (~15s)
   • Parse Non-Iranian vessel count (Chinese text patterns)
3. Record Data
   • Append to CSV file
   • Include timestamp and all collected values
4. Check Alerts
   • Compare current vs previous data
   • Evaluate threshold conditions
   • Generate alert messages
5. Notify (if configured)
   • If alerts triggered OR channel configured
   • Send summary via specified channel

Troubleshooting#

Chrome not found:

text

ERROR: Chrome binary not found at /usr/bin/google-chrome

Solution: Install Google Chrome or update binary path in script.

Selenium not installed:

text

ERROR: selenium and webdriver-manager not installed

Solution: pip install selenium webdriver-manager

Data not parsed:

• Check debug screenshots: ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory/hormuzstraitmonitor_debug.png
• Run with --debug to see browser content
• Website structure may have changed - update regex patterns

Timeout errors:

• Increase wait time in script (JavaScript-heavy pages)
• Check network connectivity to both sites

Cron Integration#

To monitor regularly, add to heartbeat or cron:

Heartbeat (HEARTBEAT.md):

markdown

- Check Hormuz Strait transit data (every 4h)

Cron job:

bash

# Every 4 hours
openclaw cron add --schedule "0 */4 * * *" --name hormuz-monitor \
  --payload '{"kind": "agentTurn", "message": "Run Hormuz Strait monitor skill"}'

Notes#

• The Strait of Hormuz handles ~20% of global oil consumption
• During Iran-West tensions, transits may drop significantly
• Recovery signals indicate de-escalation or alternative routing
• Non-Iranian vessel count is key indicator of Western/Asian shipping confidence