Major shipping companies have started moving their vessels through the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran interim agreement to end hostilities, according to maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, which announced the development Thursday.
During a media briefing, Lloyd’s List editor in chief Richard Meade noted that for the first time in 110 days, ships belonging to major companies were crossing the strait. The vessels had essentially been stranded there since February.
The strait serves as one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors for oil and natural gas. Prior to the war, the waterway — located off Iran’s coast — carried roughly one-fifth of the globe’s crude oil supply. Its closure during the conflict triggered a historic energy crisis.
Lloyd’s List did not disclose exactly how many ships had made the crossing as of Thursday, but confirmed that tankers operated by major shipowners Grimaldi Group, Cosco, Knutsen, and NYK had successfully passed through. Additionally, two sanctioned crude oil tankers flying the Iranian flag and owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company also entered the strait, according to the firm.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced Thursday that the U.S. Navy had lifted its blockade of the strait, allowing certain vessels access to Iranian ports.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani posted on X that an Italian merchant vessel belonging to the Grimaldi Group was among the first ships to make the transit following the signing of the agreement.
Separate maritime tracking company Kpler reported observing six confirmed ship crossings on Wednesday, followed by 11 more on Thursday.
Phillip Belcher, marine director of Intertanko — a trade organization representing independent tanker owners worldwide — explained that the strait’s main central route remains closed and contains an estimated 80 mines awaiting clearance. Ships have instead been using a smaller northern route through Iranian waters and a southern route through Omani waters.
“Those two routes now seem to be fully open,” Belcher said.
Still, a complete reopening of the strait could take weeks or even months, and the two alternate routes lack the capacity of the main central passage.
“This is like a highway where the road in the middle is closed and you’re using that hard shoulder,” Belcher said. “That’s now being used as the main route. We need to get back to having the highway open.”
Lloyd’s List estimates that approximately 550 merchant ships will need to prepare to exit the Persian Gulf, a group that includes around 160 tankers, 200 bulk carriers, 60 container ships, and 10 vehicle carriers.
