Hormuz Shipping Stays Curbed Until 80 Mines Are Cleared as Nearly 600 Vessels Wait
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 19
Hormuz Shipping Stays Curbed Until 80 Mines Are Cleared as Nearly 600 Vessels Wait
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 19
Summary
About 80 mines laid by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz’s central shipping lane must be cleared before normal traffic can resume, Intertanko said, even after some vessels began leaving the Gulf following a US-Iran memorandum.
The main route remains shut, forcing ships onto a narrow southern passage near Oman that raises risks of grounding and collision, with reported Iranian signal jamming leaving some vessels effectively sailing blind.
Nearly 600 vessels are still anchored in the Gulf and roughly 20,000 seafarers were stranded on either side of the chokepoint, pointing to a backlog the industry says may not clear this year.
Before the conflict, about 130 ships a day crossed the strait, which carried roughly 20% of global oil, so any collision or sinking could ripple through global trade.
The memorandum requires toll-free commercial passage for 60 days and full traffic restoration within 30 days, but shipping groups are already warning that any later Iranian transit fees would violate international law and set a wider precedent.
Is Iran's illegal Hormuz 'tollbooth' the future for other vital global sea lanes?
As Iran's blockade cripples the global economy, how are China and Russia exploiting the chaos?
Beyond oil, could the Hormuz crisis trigger a global shortage of fertilizers and critical battery components?
Strait of Hormuz Crisis 2026: Operational Hurdles Delay Oil Flow Normalization After U.S.-Iran Agreement
Overview
After U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, the Strait of Hormuz was nearly blockaded, causing major disruptions to global energy markets. In June 2026, a U.S.-Iran peace deal was finalized, leading to the official reopening of the Strait. As part of the agreement, the U.S. unfroze Iranian assets and allowed Iran to export oil, which President Trump celebrated as ending the blockade. This eased pressure on energy markets and opened the door for possible nuclear talks. However, operational challenges like mine clearance and shipping backlogs mean a slow return to normal trade.