BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 15. Global shipping companies say it could take weeks for confidence to return to the Strait of Hormuz despite the breakthrough agreement between Iran and the United States, with vessel operators waiting for stronger security guarantees before resuming normal transit.
TurkicWorld reports that industry participants have welcomed news of the diplomatic agreement but remain cautious amid uncertainty surrounding navigation safety, including the status of mine-clearing operations and broader maritime security measures in the region.
Analysts at Sentosa Ship Brokers noted that while markets are increasingly pricing in a return to normal trading conditions, shipowners and charterers are unlikely to resume regular operations immediately after months of disruption.
“The market is clearly pricing in a return to business as usual, but after months of disruption, owners and charterers alike will likely remain cautious until ships are consistently moving freely through Hormuz once again,” the company said in a market assessment.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important maritime routes, handled around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports before the outbreak of the Iran conflict on February 28. The route is also vital for the transportation of industrial commodities including aluminium and urea.
Although maritime traffic remains limited, the LNG tanker Disha, operated by India’s Petronet, successfully transited the strait on Monday, becoming one of the first visible commercial shipments to do so since the conflict disrupted regional shipping.
The vessel had loaded its cargo at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal on March 1 and had remained stranded west of the strait. Its final destination is the Dahej LNG terminal in India.
