Commercial shipping is slowly resuming in the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17, 2026, to end their war. While at least 172 vessels transited the waterway in the days following the deal, traffic remains far below prewar levels. High-level negotiations led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance continue in Switzerland, but progress is complicated by active sea mines in the central channel and a dispute over Iran's attempts to impose permits and insurance mandates on transiting vessels.
Strait of Hormuz shipping resumption
- ▪At least 172 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz between June 18, 2026, and June 23, 2026, following the signing of the U.S.-Iran interim agreement
- ▪The daily vessel transit count in the Strait of Hormuz remains well below the prewar average of more than 100 daily crossings
- ▪A total of 131 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz between June 19, 2026, and June 22, 2026, including 39 crossings on June 22, 2026
US-Iran interim deal negotiations
- ▪The United States and Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17, 2026, to establish a 60-day ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz
- ▪U.S. Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation held high-level talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, to negotiate a final peace agreement
- ▪The U.S. Treasury issued a license easing sanctions to allow the sale of Iranian crude oil, petrochemicals, and oil products until August 21, 2026
Iran toll regime dispute
- ▪Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority demanded that transiting vessels obtain a valid passage permit and register for a mandatory Iranian insurance policy
- ▪President Donald Trump suggested on June 20, 2026, that the United States might impose its own tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz
- ▪Mousa Rezaei, head of Iran's primary insurance regulator, announced on June 21, 2026, the establishment of a new insurance company dedicated solely to the Strait of Hormuz
International maritime law violations
- ▪The United States and Iran are not signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, though Oman has ratified the treaty
- ▪Legal experts state that collecting transit tolls in the Strait of Hormuz violates the principle of freedom of peaceful navigation codified in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
Shipping recovery timeline obstacles
- ▪The Joint Maritime Information Center warned vessels to avoid the central Strait of Hormuz and recommended a southern route through Omani waters confirmed clear of mines
- ▪The main central route of the Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to the presence of sea mines, forcing ships to use narrower northern or southern corridors
- ▪Shipping analysts estimate it could take months for commercial traffic to return to prewar levels due to altered trading patterns and security concerns
Story comments
Loading comments…