Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz Gradually Returns to Normal

On Thursday morning, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) had announced that transits through the strait would only be considered safe on Iranian-assigned routes. According to a report by Windward, four tankers on the route toward Oman subsequently turned around after IRGC radio warnings. The Iranian armed forces had largely closed off the strategically important waterway to shipping through threats and attacks in the course of US-Israeli strikes on Iran in early March.

Background: Blockades and Framework Agreement

The USA had responded in the further course with its own naval blockade on ships heading to or departing from Iranian ports. Both blockades had been lifted as part of a framework agreement between the two sides. This paved the way for the gradual resumption of trade traffic.

An evacuation plan by the UN shipping organization IMO is currently underway. Hundreds of ships that have been stuck so far, with around 11,000 crew members, are to be enabled to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Some of the ships have been waiting for weeks for a safe course through the strait.

Mine Danger and International Deployment

There is uncertainty about how many sea mines the Iranian armed forces have laid in the strait. A US media report from May spoke, citing anonymous intelligence circles, of at least ten mines. The British newspaper "Guardian" recently quoted a shipping expert from the association Intertanko, who assumes 80 mines in the strait. These mines had been cited as the reason for international naval deployments to make shipping in the region possible again.

According to the data provider AXSMarine, transits of bulk carriers have already returned to pre-war levels. Unlike tankers, transits of bulk carriers have reached pre-war levels. Such carriers transport, for example, grain or fertilizers. For oil tankers, which are particularly relevant for Asia's energy supply, the situation remains more tense.

Differences Between Tanker and Cargo Shipping

The data provider Kpler distinguishes three routes in its visualizations: transits along the Iranian coast in the north, along Oman in the south, and in between. China is, according to the available data, the most important destination for oil-exporting ships leaving the strait. Windward recently registered more outbound than inbound transits through the Strait of Hormuz, indicating a gradual easing of the congested tonnage.

Despite the positive signals, experts do not yet consider the situation to be fully relaxed. The mine danger, the unclear security assurances, and the experience of recent months have made many shipping companies cautious.

This news was broadcast on 25.06.2026 on Deutschlandfunk. The further development depends significantly on whether the mine clearance is successful and whether the framework agreement between Washington and Tehran remains stable.