Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose to a multi-week high - Bloomberg
Kyiv • UNN
Movement of vessels through the strait reached its highest level since the beginning of the war thanks to agreements between countries and Iran. Over the weekend, 21 ships passed, including from India.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has risen to its highest level since the start of the war, as more and more countries are entering into agreements with Iran for safe passage. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
As the publication notes, 21 ships passed through the strait over the weekend, as energy-deficient countries negotiate to move vessels, cargo, and crews out of the Persian Gulf, strengthening Tehran's control over the waterway. This is the highest two-day figure since early March, when traffic was decreasing.
Of these vessels, 13 sailed into the Arabian Sea.
Iranian vessels continue to dominate traffic, but on Sunday a tanker with Iraqi oil passed through the strait after Iran said it would grant an exception to "brotherly Iraq." India, which negotiated the withdrawal of some vessels and for the first time in many years accepted Iranian liquefied gas, has already sent eight of its LPG tankers through the strait.
While the number of vessels is still significantly lower than before the war, when about 135 ships passed daily, more and more countries are securing their transit. Last week, two China-linked container ships were able to pass on their second attempt, and two Japan-linked vessels also passed.
Over the past three days, the tanker Sohar LNG exited the Persian Gulf via the southern route through Hormuz, while the LPG tanker Green Asha used the Iranian route.
Iran is also advancing a law that would regulate its control over the strait and transit fees, formalizing a payment system that has been in place for several weeks.
While Tehran is negotiating with friendly countries, the terms of these agreements remain opaque—even in cases where they are officially acknowledged, as was the case with Iraq. Even less clear is who exactly receives permission for safe passage, particularly regarding vessels associated with France and Japan.
Vessels linked to China, Turkey, Greece, and Thailand also passed through the strait.
Most authorized vessels have been moving along a route likely determined by Tehran, staying closer to the Iranian coast. At the same time, an increasing number of ships are beginning to use the path along the opposite shore. Oman, which also controls part of the strait, has confirmed that it is holding talks to stabilize traffic.