Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained despite a recently enacted US-Iran ceasefire. While a few vessels have attempted transit, shipowners, insurers, and others express caution regarding safe passage. Conflicting reports emerge about the waterway’s status, with some indicating limited movement and others describing it as largely blocked.
Two Chinese oil tankers are approaching the strait, potentially becoming the first fully laden vessels to cross under the ceasefire. However, normal shipping has not resumed, and Iran maintains a hardline position, seemingly contradicting the terms of the agreement. Only a small number of ships – some with prior links to Iran – have made the voyage out of the Persian Gulf.
Iran asserts the waterway remains closed to vessels without permits and has even suggested implementing tolls for transit, a proposal deemed unacceptable by the world’s main shipping watchdog. Concerns persist about navigating near the Iranian coast due to the fragile nature of the truce, leading to a decrease in overall traffic.
Just three vessels transited the strait on the day the ceasefire was announced, and only a handful have crossed since. Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz was reportedly a condition of the ceasefire agreement. Over 800 vessels remain trapped in the Persian Gulf awaiting clearer passage.