The Strait of Hormuz reopened to commercial shipping on Friday as the first vessels transited the strategic waterway following a US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed electronically by Presidents Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian. At least 12 tankers, including Saudi crude carriers and Qatar’s first liquefied natural gas tanker since the war began, have passed through the strait in recent days, marking a cautious recovery of maritime traffic after a near-total collapse during the conflict.

Traffic through the narrow shipping lane surged to 25 vessels in a single day, the highest since June, with four supertankers carrying at least 8 million barrels of crude oil bound for Asian markets including Japan, South Korea, India, and China. Saudi Arabia’s reappearance of three Very Large Crude Carriers, each laden with approximately 2 million barrels, signals a potential de-escalation after two months of silence on tracking systems. A Japan-linked vessel detained in the Persian Gulf also cleared the strait on Friday, sailing toward Tokyo as Tokyo continues diplomatic efforts to secure passage for dozens of remaining ships.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced that traffic will be gradually increased under the memorandum, which suspends fees for 60 days and initiates mine-clearing operations. The deal, signed electronically on Friday, sets the stage for 60 days of negotiations on nuclear and sanctions issues. Industry experts warned, however, that full normalcy remains elusive until approximately 80 naval mines blocking the main shipping channel are cleared. Maritime traffic will remain severely restricted until the hazardous ordnance is removed, even as vessels begin transiting the waterway.

The partial reopening follows a collapse in traffic from around 130 ships daily to roughly 10 during the conflict, a decline of more than 90%. The cautious resumption of shipments reflects broader regional efforts to stabilize energy markets and restore commercial confidence. France has signaled it will retain a veto over the lifting of sanctions on Iran, complicating the broader diplomatic process. The coming weeks will determine whether the tentative easing of tensions can translate into sustained stability for one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.

Source Intelligence

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Articles

Straat van Hormuz weer open, maar schepenfile niet zomaar opgelost Nu de intentieverklaring tussen de VS en Iran getekend is, gaat de Straat van Hormuz mondjesmaat weer open. Lezers vragen zich af wanneer de internationale handel weer op het oude niveau komt. Maar dat kan nog maanden duren.

nu.nl · about 3 hours ago

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yenisafak · about 3 hours ago

Iran says Hormuz traffic to be gradually increased under US deal Irans Supreme National Security Council announced that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will be increased gradually under a memorandum of understanding with the US. No fees will be charged for 60 days, and mine‑clearing measures will follow. The deal, signed electronically by Presidents Trump and Pezeshkian, initiates 60 days of negotiations on nuclear and sanctions issues.

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yenisafak · about 3 hours ago

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mastodon bot · about 4 hours ago

Straat van Hormuz nog lang niet volledig open na akkoord VS en Iran: 80 zeemijnen blokkeren hoofdroute

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yenisafak · about 4 hours ago

Hormuz shipping normalcy elusive until mines cleared: Report Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will remain severely restricted until approximately 80 naval mines are cleared from the main shipping channel, industry experts warned Friday, even as vessels begin transiting the strategic waterway following a US-Iran agreement to end hostilities and reopen commercial lanes.

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