Hormuz, 80 mines must be cleared - Then normal shipping will resume
The center of the Strait of Hormuz is blocked by about 80 mines that will need to be cleared before normal shipping can resume, the independent trade body of tanker owners said. Several ships began leaving the Gulf through the key maritime blockade point on Thursday, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran.
However, maritime transport is not expected to return to normal anytime soon, even if the ceasefire lasts, due to mines and other obstacles, underscoring the ongoing challenges facing global trade.
During the conflict, Tehran laid mines in the center of the strait in the traffic separation scheme, which has been in place between Iran and Oman since 1968, to restrict the movement of tankers and other ships.
The shipping industry expects to see a return to the use of the standard route, which before the conflict allowed about 130 ships a day to safely pass through the strait, through which about 20% of global oil passed.
With a high number of ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping industry is warning of the risk of collision. This risk has been intensified by the "signal jamming" allegedly carried out by Iran during the conflict, where electronic interference has prevented ships' navigation and positioning systems from functioning, leaving them effectively sailing blind.
A collision, grounding, or sinking could further disrupt global trade. It is believed that nearly 600 ships are still in the Persian Gulf, where they have been anchored since February, meaning it will take time to clear the remaining cargo.
Further concerns remain over Iran's plans to impose a maritime fee on ships passing through the strait. Such fees are illegal under international law.
Under the terms of the US-Iran memorandum, Iran must provide free passage to commercial ships for at least 60 days, with full traffic restored within 30 days. Tehran has said it will impose fees on ships to cover the cost of managing the waterway after the 60-day period.
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