(July 4): At least eight ships attempting to leave the Persian Gulf along the Omani coast turned back between Friday and Saturday, in the latest sign that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains complicated by Iran seeking to assert its control over the key waterway. Some of the vessels continued with their transits by switching to a route closer to Iran.
The ships, including oil tankers, bulk carriers and vehicle carriers, were observed sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz, ship-tracking data showed. Some had made it as far as the tip of the Musandam Peninsula that sticks out into the chokepoint, before making sharp reversals. One crude tanker, two products tankers, and one bulk carrier then sailed northwards to take an outbound route as dictated by Iran.
It is unknown why the ships have U-turned, though Iran has repeatedly said that vessels should only transit the strait through the authorised route designated by the Islamic Republic.
Over the past few months, vessels that have attempted to leave the Persian Gulf have reported hearing Iranian forces warning over radio communications that they needed permission from Tehran for their crossings. Some have been attacked for proceeding with their journeys sparking wider concern over coordinating transits. The risk tolerance of tanker companies and their crew is crucial to returning the global oil market to normal.
Around 34 commodity vessels have crossed the strait daily on average since Monday, a notable increase from the daily averages for much of the war, but still a far cry from pre-war levels. Between June 30 and July 1, 65 ships crossed along the Omani side, with 59 of them being supported by the US, data from the Joint Maritime Information Center showed.
See also: European nations now believe they have to pay some fees for crossing Hormuz — Bloomberg
Despite a mid-June deal between the US and Iran to reopen the strait, Tehran has continued to claim its control over the vital corridor, while the US continues to support vessels’ transits along the Omani coast.
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