Strait of Hormuz Traffic Remains Blocked as Iran Seeks to Formalize Control

(SeaPRwire) –   Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continued to be obstructed on Thursday, despite a few Chinese ships queuing to depart. A highly delicate ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has so far failed to restore normal transit in the area.

Only seven vessels, each with some previous connection to Iran, were seen exiting the Persian Gulf from Wednesday into Thursday morning. Under typical conditions, daily transits in both directions number around 135.

Highlighting Tehran’s push to institutionalize its command of the passage, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization announced two designated safe shipping lanes via state media. The organization stated these routes were needed to steer clear of possible anti-ship mines along the conventional paths through the narrow strait.

As ships associated with Iran moved through, three Chinese oil tankers, fully loaded with Saudi and Iraqi crude, approached Hormuz on Thursday before anchoring near the entrance to the vital waterway, which facilitates about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

This deadlock persists even after a U.S.-Iran ceasefire emerged earlier this week, which triggered a sharp decline in oil prices.

‘Not Open’

Although shipments are nearly at a standstill, the market is still experiencing a severe supply shortage. Despite lower futures prices, physical oil barrels remain scarce. U.S. Vice President JD Vance indicated there were signals the strait was beginning to reopen, but the head of the UAE’s biggest oil producer stated on Thursday that it is effectively still closed.

“Let’s be clear: the Strait of Hormuz is not open,” said Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., in remarks on LinkedIn. “Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled.”

While Iran’s deputy foreign minister informed the UK’s ITV that “any” ship is permitted to sail through, he clarified that doing so necessitates coordination with Iran’s military. He also verified the waterway had been mined.

On Wednesday, the crew of one ship reported receiving an Iranian warning that passage through the strait still mandates approval from the Islamic Republic, according to an informed source. At least one oil tanker canceled a planned crossing after learning Iran continued to insist vessels obtain permission, said another person familiar with the failed transit.

The pace at which Hormuz reopens is critical for worldwide energy markets.

Even if vessels start exiting the strait, it is uncertain whether others will be prepared to enter, considering the ceasefire lasts only two weeks. Furthermore, once shipments through the channel restart, it could take weeks to months for the oil to arrive at its destinations.

Overnight, President Trump stated on social media that U.S. military forces would stay in the region and warned that without a deal, “‘the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”

The leader of the primary global shipping regulator, the International Maritime Organization, said Thursday that any attempt by Tehran to permanently impose a toll system on Hormuz would establish a perilous precedent and is not acceptable.

“What we cannot have is this different, or parallel, approach where another country introduces a different mechanism that is not in line with international practice,” Arsenio Dominguez, the IMO’s secretary-general, remarked in a Bloomberg TV interview.

He added that the IMO is striving to reinstate regional shipping to its pre-war condition. A coalition of countries, including the UK, is investigating whether mines are present in Hormuz, he noted.

Renewed talk of mines in the strait represents “the worst case scenario for shipping,” said Martin Kelly, head of advisory at EOS Risk Group. “If the TSS is mined, the recovery for safe passage will take months at least,” he stated, referring to the Traffic Separation Scheme used for crossings during normal operations.

To date, there has been minimal booking activity for vessels to load oil within the Persian Gulf.

According to charter lists gathered by Bloomberg, one trading firm hired a ship on Wednesday to carry 1 million barrels from Iraq.

Another booking for a supertanker to transport Middle Eastern crude, also made Wednesday, was canceled, according to market participants. Two traders dealing in Persian Gulf cargoes said there has been little shift in regional trading since the ceasefire took effect.

The International Chamber of Shipping, an umbrella body for trade groups representing owners of more than 80% of the global fleet, stated that further work is required before ships can pass through in large numbers again.

“There is not much movement because we do not have any solid confirmation as to securing a safe passage,” secretary general Thomas Kazakos said in a Bloomberg radio interview, adding that “as yet we have not received any solid information” on how normal traffic can be restored.