The Strait of Hormuz is closed again. Few ships were leaving the waterway in the first place

After a brief reopening, the Strait of Hormuz again saw scant outbound traffic, with just 25 ships leaving the waterway on Thursday, according to marine data firm Kpler. The broader situation remains dire: nearly 500 ships and about 20,000 crew members have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for months. Analysts say it could take months for traffic to normalize because of ongoing safety concerns and the fragile ceasefire, after talks between Iran and the United States were canceled. The pause comes despite public statements of de‑escalation, highlighting how security risks persist even with political commitments in place.

Even as a limited reopening appeared last week, the central stretch of the strait remains mined and unnavigable, with only inshore zones near Oman and Iran reportedly free of mines, according to BIMCO. Lead oil analyst Matt Smith noted that traffic has begun to pick up but is far from pre-war levels, and estimates around 120 tankers carrying oil in the Gulf may still require weeks to depart, while empty ships could take longer to fill and leave. BIMCO's Jakob Larsen said the security situation for shipping remains volatile, underscoring ongoing risk despite a ceasefire.