The MarketWatch reporting on VLCCs idled in the Strait of Hormuz captures surface-level hesitancy but understates cumulative effects documented in primary transit data. U.S. Energy Information Administration chokepoint assessments show the strait handles roughly 21 percent of global petroleum liquids trade, with limited bypass capacity via the 5 million barrel-per-day Saudi East-West pipeline and 0.3 million barrel UAE pipeline. Multiple perspectives emerge from official records: Gulf producers emphasize temporary weather and insurance factors in recent delays, while Asian importers highlight allocation pressures that favor term contracts over spot voyages. Historical patterns from 2019 tanker incidents and 2020 pandemic rerouting indicate that once vessels exit, owners increasingly favor longer-haul Atlantic basin or West African loadings to reduce repeat exposure. Primary EIA transit statistics and IEA monthly supply balances reveal what secondary coverage often omits: sustained avoidance accelerates infrastructure commitments such as expanded Red Sea terminals and strategic storage in India and China. Allocation effects include tighter sour-crude differentials and potential upward pressure on delivered prices for East Asian refiners even absent formal sanctions.