Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will not return to normal until mines are cleared and traditional shipping routes are restored, according to major shipping organizations. The groups, cited in a report by Platts on June 18, called for greater clarity on transit rules and better coordination among authorities to enable safe passage.

Read also: US and Iran Announce Agreement to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran has warned of mine hazards for vessels using the Traffic Separation Scheme routes. Under a preliminary peace agreement with the United States, signed by both countries’ leaders on June 17, Iran agreed to demine the strait within 30 days.

INTERTANKO stated that clearing all mine threats from the TSS routes must be a priority, and that all involved governments need to clearly inform the shipping industry once that work is complete. Tim Wilkins, managing director of INTERTANKO, which represents 191 companies operating 4,152 tankers with a total capacity of 380 million deadweight tons, said that some ships will naturally begin moving, but that shipowners have adopted a very cautious approach. He added that the safety and security of seafarers has been the foremost concern.

Data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea showed that 25 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on June 17, including three very large crude carriers, three product tankers, and one small tanker. That total was the highest in a month but remained far below levels seen before the US-Iran war began on February 28. In February, an average of 135 ships per day, including 46 to 47 oil tankers, used the waterway, which handled 20 percent of global oil and LNG trades.

Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at BIMCO, the world’s largest shipowners organization by direct membership, said that once safe and secure passage through the strait is confirmed, ships already in the Persian Gulf can begin re-establishing trade. This includes more than 100 laden tankers and nearly 100 in ballast that could start loading new cargo. He indicated that shipping services could return to pre-war levels within a couple of months, but that a recovery in cargo volumes may take longer due to damages sustained during the war.

Masoud Polmeh, secretary-general of the Iran Shipping and Related Services Association, told state-run news agency ISNA that the Strait of Hormuz remains under the supervision of Iranian armed forces and that ships should transit after coordinating with relevant authorities. Currently, Iran has allowed some ships to sail through the strait via the Iranian coast, while the US Navy has been advising vessels to sail close to the Omani shore in dark transits. Jakob Larsen, chief safety officer at BIMCO, warned that the central part of the strait is mined and unnavigable, and that only the inshore traffic zones near Oman and Iran are reportedly free of mines. He also cautioned about congestion and navigational risks on those routes.

INTERTANKO estimated that the current routes might need to be used before the TSS are cleared of mines, but their capacity is inefficient. The organization said that if 550 ships aim to leave and roughly 60 ships per day seek to transit the strait, the existing routes are inadequate to handle that volume.

Both organizations stated that a coordination system should be established to ensure safe transits before normal traffic can resume. Larsen said BIMCO expects an international coordination body to be established shortly to facilitate transits, adding that issues related to safe routes, measures to separate traffic, and naval protection remain unresolved. He encouraged shipowners to consider waiting for further clarification to avoid serious risks from an uncoordinated mass transit through the narrow inshore traffic zones.

Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, said the UN agency is working with coastal states and industry groups to evacuate seafarers aboard ships stranded in the Persian Gulf. He emphasized that the process must be safe, orderly, and coordinated to avoid congestion, accidents, and collisions, and that the IMO is gathering necessary security guarantees to ensure all transits will be free from hazards, including potential mines.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform