The first vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the United States reached a two-week ceasefire agreement, but overall maritime traffic remains limited amid continued uncertainty over the terms of navigation, industry sources said Wednesday.
Ship-tracking service MarineTraffic reported that two vessels the Greek-owned NJ Earth and the Liberia-flagged Daytona Beach, both bulk carriers transited the strait overnight. Neither carried oil, highlighting that full commercial traffic has yet to resume.
The strait, a strategic chokepoint through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes, had been largely closed following the outbreak of hostilities in late February. Traffic had plunged from a pre-war average of 100–120 vessels per day to just a handful, as Iran targeted commercial shipping in response to U.S. and allied actions.
While the ceasefire, agreed late Tuesday, temporarily suspended U.S. military action, shipping companies are approaching passage with caution. Iranian authorities have stipulated that vessels may navigate the strait only with coordination from the Iranian Armed Forces and “due consideration to technical limitations,” fueling confusion among maritime operators.
An Iranian plan to levy tolls in cryptocurrency on oil tankers and inspect ships for weapons has further complicated transit decisions, according to the Financial Times. Industry executives cited safety concerns and lack of clarity from Tehran as reasons why most vessels remain in holding patterns.
More Read
“We have no information about how we could transit the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire,” a shipping executive said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The most important for us is the safety of our crew members, and if we were deciding to transit, we need absolute guarantees about their safety.”
U.S. officials have sought to reassure the maritime community. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strait is open, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine indicated that diplomatic agreements have cleared a path for vessels. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social overnight that the U.S. “will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that the country will oversee shipments and reconstruction supplies.
The ceasefire came less than two hours before a U.S. deadline for potential strikes against Iran, which Trump had earlier warned would devastate the country if the strait was not reopened. The agreement temporarily halts military escalation and allows a controlled resumption of navigation, though the pace remains slow.
More Read
According to Kpler, traffic has not returned to pre-war levels, and analysts say only about 10–15 vessels are expected to move daily under current conditions. Maersk, the shipping giant, welcomed the ceasefire but cautioned that “information and details available remain very limited,” emphasizing that uncertainty persists over transit conditions.
Despite the ceasefire, broader geopolitical instability continues to affect maritime operations. Oil tanker traffic through the strait has reportedly been halted following an Israeli attack on Lebanon, according to Iranian state news agency Fars. Hundreds of vessels remain stranded in the Gulf, awaiting clearer guidance from Iranian authorities.
The slow reopening of the Strait of Hormuz illustrates the fragility of the ceasefire and the challenges facing global energy markets. While two bulk carriers have moved through safely, the bulk of commercial shipping, especially oil tankers, remains in limbo as the region navigates the uncertain terms of the temporary peace.
