While ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has increased following the interim agreement between the US and Iran to end the war, it has not yet returned to pre-conflict levels.
Iran’s effective closure of this maritime corridor — through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the war — has restricted global energy supplies and increased inflation.
It remains unclear whether ships will be forced to pay fees to pass through the strait, which is located between Iran and Oman.
About 71 ships passed through the strait from Friday to Sunday, with a peak of 35 crossings on Saturday, according to data and analysis company Kpler, reports skynews.
This figure is much lower than before the war, when around 100–130 ships passed through every day.
The main central route through the strait is mined and remains closed, so ships use the smaller northern route that passes through Iranian waters and the southern route that passes through Omani waters.
According to last week’s memorandum, Iran will manage the strait during the 60-day period of negotiations between the US and Tehran.
Although the passage was previously free, Iran last month created a new state authority to collect payments from ships and required them to register with the so-called “Persian Gulf Strait Authority.”
However, it has been agreed that no fees will be imposed on passing ships for 60 days.
Donald Trump has suggested that the US could impose its own tariffs on the passage of the strait if a final agreement is not reached within this deadline.
As part of the agreement, Iran has stated that it will complete mine clearance within 30 days. /Telegraph/