April 3, 2026, 12:52 p.mApril 3, 2026, 12:52 p.m
The number of ship passages through the Strait of Hormuz has recently increased. According to a report by the data company Windward, 16 freighters sailed through the largely blocked strait on Wednesday, compared to eleven ships the day before. The number of transits has increased for three days in a row. But it is still only a fraction of the traffic before the start of the Iran war at the end of February.
A freighter heads toward the Strait of Hormuz, March 22. Image: keystone
Most of the ships reportedly sailed close to the Iranian coast. Windward writes that this corridor along Larak Island allows Iran to maintain a “permission-based, selective blockade.”
First gas tanker sails through the strait
The report continues that three ships also passed through the strait under Omani control. According to the information, they avoided the Iranian-controlled corridor.
One of the ships, the LNG tanker Sohar, appears to be empty and sailing near the Omani coast, according to financial service Bloomberg. It was the first LNG tanker to pass through the strait since the outbreak of war. Ship tracking data from MaritimeTraffic now shows the ship outside the strait and off the Omani coast.
A container ship owned by the French shipping giant CMA also passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday to leave the Persian Gulf, French broadcaster RTL reported. The ship’s navigation signal showed a “French owner”.
Iran proposes a mechanism for ship passage
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kasem Gharibabadi announced on Thursday a new mechanism to regulate shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. In times of peace, this should be done in coordination with Oman, the state news agency Irna quoted him as saying.
“Of course, these requirements do not constitute a restriction, but rather serve to facilitate and ensure safe passage and to better provide services to ships passing through this route.” Gharibabadi did not provide any specific details.
Nothing has been announced from the Omani side about this yet. (sda/dpa)