Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has reached its highest level in recent weeks—as more countries strike deals with Iran for guarantees of safe passage.
Over the weekend, 21 vessels passed through the strait—the highest two-day total since early March, when shipping volumes began to decline noticeably. Of those, 13 were headed for the Arabian Sea.
Iranian vessels still account for the bulk of the traffic, but on Sunday a tanker carrying Iraqi oil passed through the strait after Tehran said it was prepared to grant an exception to “brotherly Iraq.”
India, which reached agreements for the withdrawal of some of its vessels and for the first time in many years accepted Iranian liquefied petroleum gas, sent eight LNG tankers through the strait.
Last week, two China-linked container ships managed to pass through the strait on their second attempt. Two Japan-linked vessels also made the crossing, along with ships linked to Turkey, Greece, and Thailand.
Despite the increase in activity, current volumes remain well below prewar levels, when about 135 vessels passed through the strait each day.