At least six ships – a fraction of the usual traffic – have sailed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to shipping data, as the standoff between the US and Iran over how to reopen this crucial channel for the global economy continues.
The ships mostly passed through Iranian territorial waters and among them was the US-sanctioned chemical tanker Vast Plus, according to data from ship-tracking company Kpler and satellite analysis by SynMax. Most of them were dry cargo ships. Reuters was unable to ascertain whether other ships, in addition to the six, passed through. On average, seven ships have passed daily in recent days.
This number is very small compared to the usual traffic in the Gulf. Before the war began on February 28, 125-140 ships passed daily. Today, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to “act smart, soon” and sign a deal, just as US media reported that Washington intends to extend the blockade of Iranian ports.
Iranian officials have tabled a proposal to impose tolls on ships sailing through the Straits. However, the US Treasury Department warned on Tuesday that those shipping companies that pay the Iranian government or the Revolutionary Guards to ensure their ships safely pass through Hormuz risk sanctions.
The possibility of a prolonged blockade of Iranian ports “for many months” was raised by Trump in his meeting with oil company executives on Tuesday, a White House official confirmed.
