Normal shipping will not resume in strait of Hormuz until 80 mines cleared

Normal shipping will not resume in the Strait of Hormuz until about 80 mines are cleared, according to the independent tanker owners’ body Intertanko. The strait’s center remains blocked, complicating traffic and threatening global trade, with around 20,000 seafarers stranded on either side. Before the conflict, roughly 130 ships daily traversed the strait, which handled about 20% of global oil; disruptions have pushed vessels to detours and riskier passages near Oman, sometimes with navigational aids off. Intertanko warns that navigational risk and potential collisions will persist as mines and electronic interference continue to disrupt operations.

With roughly 600 vessels believed stuck in the Gulf and existing backlogs, the industry cites uncharted-to-uncharted territory, recalling Suez-like disruptions from 2021. Iran’s signal jamming and ongoing geopolitical frictions compound the danger, while a US-Iran memorandum and toll arrangements add uncertainty to routing. Experts say normal traffic levels may take a long time to return, underscoring the fragility of one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.