How Iran Collects $2M Per Ship: The Hormuz Toll Gate Mechanism

INFOGRAPHIC SPECIFICATION

Title: How Iran Collects $2M Per Ship: The Hormuz Toll Gate Format: Vertical infographic (1080 x 1920px — optimized for mobile/social sharing) Color Palette: Navy (#1B2A4A), Persian blue (#1C39BB), warning orange (#FF6B35), white (#FFFFFF), dark gray (#2D2D2D) Typography: Headlines in bold sans-serif (Inter Bold), body in regular sans-serif (Inter Regular)

SECTION 1: Header (top 15%)

Visual: Stylized map of Strait of Hormuz showing the 21-mile-wide chokepoint between Iran and Oman. Two corridor arrows: northern (IRGC-controlled, blue) and southern (Oman coast, orange). Scale marker showing 21 miles.

Text overlay: 'THE TOLL GATE: How Iran Now Controls the World's Most Important Shipping Lane' Subtext: '21 miles wide. $2 million per vessel. 130 ships per day at full capacity.'

SECTION 2: The Process Flow (middle 55%)

Five numbered steps in a vertical flow diagram with icons:

Step 1: Documentation (icon: document with stamp)

• 'Vessel submits transit request to IRGC maritime coordination center'
• 'Required: Flag state, cargo manifest, crew nationality breakdown, insurance documentation'
• Data point: 'Processing time: 24-72 hours'

Step 2: VHF Contact (icon: radio wave)

• 'IRGC contacts vessel on VHF Channel 16 with transit code and instructions'
• 'Code includes: corridor assignment (north/south), speed restrictions, convoy grouping'
• Data point: 'Current transit window: 06:00-18:00 local time only'

Step 3: Escort Assignment (icon: military vessel silhouette)

• 'IRGC patrol boat escorts vessel through the strait'
• 'Convoy groups of 3-5 vessels formed for efficiency'
• Data point: 'Average transit time under escort: 6-8 hours (vs 2 hours pre-crisis)'

Step 4: Payment (icon: yuan symbol + crypto symbol)

• 'Vessel pays $2M toll — NO US dollars accepted'
• 'Payment methods: Chinese yuan (CNY) or cryptocurrency stablecoins (USDT/USDC)'
• 'Revenue split: Iran (est. 70-80%) / Oman (est. 20-30%)'
• Data point: 'At full traffic: $260M/day = $95B/year'

Step 5: Clearance (icon: checkmark in circle)

• 'Vessel exits Hormuz with IRGC transit receipt'
• 'Receipt required for re-entry and for insurance documentation'
• Data point: 'Current daily transits: ~15-20 vessels (vs 130 pre-crisis)'

SECTION 3: The Numbers Bar (bottom 20%)

Horizontal bar chart showing traffic comparison:

• Pre-crisis (Feb 2026): 130 vessels/day — full bar
• Current (April 8): ~15-20 vessels/day — ~12% bar
• Suez comparison: 60% below normal after 100 safe days — reference line

Key stat callout boxes (3 across):

• '$2M' / 'Per vessel toll'
• '10%' / 'War-risk premium (% of vessel value)'
• 'July 2026' / 'Earliest 50% recovery (S&P Global)'

SECTION 4: Footer

Branding: Eagle Intelligence Maritime logo + eagleintelmari.com Source line: 'Sources: Lloyd's List Intelligence, S&P Global, IRGC transit data, BIMCO, Al Jazeera' CTA: 'Follow @EagleIntelMari for daily maritime intelligence'

DESIGN NOTES FOR PRODUCTION

1. The flow should read like a funnel — wide at the top (map context) narrowing to the payment mechanism. The payment step should be visually emphasized (larger, bolder, orange highlight).
2. The yuan/crypto payment detail is the shareable hook — this is what makes people forward the image. Make the payment icons prominent.
3. The Oman revenue share is the geopolitical design insight — show it as a branching arrow from the payment step, emphasizing that this is not just a toll but a governance partnership.
4. The traffic comparison bar chart should shock — the visual gap between 130 vessels/day and 15-20 vessels/day tells the story instantly.
5. Mobile-first — this will be shared on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. Every text element must be readable at mobile phone resolution without zooming.
6. No photographs — use stylized icons and geometric shapes only. This avoids copyright issues and creates a distinctive brand aesthetic.

Bottom Line

This infographic visualizes the single most important structural change in global maritime since the Suez nationalization of 1956: a major international strait converted from free passage to a paid, state-controlled transit corridor. The step-by-step mechanism has never been presented visually by any outlet. When produced, this becomes our most shareable piece of content — the visual that explains what every maritime professional is trying to understand.