At least 20 oil tankers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Iran began reopening sea lanes to commercial shipping, according to trade information firm Kpler.
Tanker traffic on Thursday was the highest since June 2, the company said. However, traffic remains below pre-war levels, when more than 100 ships, including dozens of tankers, passed through Hormuz every day.
A total of 25 ships passed through Hormuz on Thursday, including tankers as well as cargo, containers and other vessels, Kupler said. Traffic has picked up after the U.S. Navy lifted its blockade of Iran, while the Iranian government is allowing ships to cross Hormuz free of toll for 60 days.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance told reporters Thursday that Iran has so far “honored its end of its commitments.”
“Traffic was nearly balanced, with 13 intersections moving from west to east and 12 intersections moving from east to west,” said Matt Smith, director of product research at Kpler.
Three Saudi supertankers and one UAE supertanker passed through Hormuz on Thursday, Kupler news agency reported. These giant vessels, called very large crude carriers (VLCCs), can transport up to 2 million barrels of oil.
Kpler analysts told clients in a note Friday that Iranian supertankers had their transponders switched on after going dark during the war. Five Iranian supertankers loaded with oil were observed leaving the region on Friday, analysts said.
“The two-way vessel flow suggests that Iranian crude oil trade is gradually approaching a normal operating pattern,” the analysts said.
Kupler said the 18 ships that crossed Thursday followed Iran’s designated route across Hormuz. Only one vessel used the route established by the International Maritime Organization. Kupler said he could not confirm the routes used by the six ships.
The US-Iran deal raises questions about how Hormuz Island will be governed. Under the terms of the agreement, Iran will hold talks with Oman and Gulf states on how to manage the strait after the 60-day free passage period ends. This leaves open the possibility that tolls may be imposed in the future.
