Limited traffic through Hormuz, despite Trump’s announcement

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Despite US President Donald Trump's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened and the US naval blockade removed, vessel-tracking data suggests that traffic through the crucial waterway remains limited, with hundreds of commercial ships having crossed, often with their transponders switched off.

The reopening, part of an agreement to end the war between the US, Israel and Iran, has been met with caution from industry stakeholders, who are seeking greater clarity on transit arrangements, while some vessels have continued to pass through using what analysts describe as Iran's 'toll-booth route'.

Coverage comparison

Reports from multiple outlets present a mixed picture of the strait's status. While Mr. Trump announced the reopening on June 15, 2026, vessel-tracking data suggested that traffic remained limited that same day, with many vessels clustered near Iran's Qeshm and Larak islands, according to The Hindu. However, a later report from the same outlet noted that 25 commercial vessels crossed the newly reopened strait on Thursday, June 18, the highest single-day count since mid-April, according to data from maritime tracking firm AXSMarine published on Friday. This spike came after Iran and the United States agreed to reopen the route, but before the cancellation of talks in Switzerland that had been planned under the deal.

South China Morning Post reported that Iran would waive fees for security, safety, environmental services and related insurance during a 60-day negotiation period, with ships required to submit transit requests at least 48 hours before arrival. The outlet also confirmed the 25 crossings on Thursday, noting it was more than five times the average daily level recorded during the first ten days of June.

However, the situation changed over the weekend. According to the Jerusalem Post and The Hindu, Iran announced it had again closed the waterway on Saturday, June 20, citing Israeli and US violations of the interim peace deal. This led to a sharp fall in ship traffic on Sunday, with only five vessels passing compared to 26 the day earlier, according to data from analytics firm Kpler. These included three Very Large Crude Carriers carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi crude and fuel oil each, one of which was heading to Japan.

Despite the renewed closure, four liquefied natural gas tankers controlled by Qatar were heading into the strait on Monday, June 22, via the Iranian route for the first time since the war started, according to shipping data from Kpler cited by The Hindu. The Marshall Islands-flagged dry bulk vessel Summit Success also entered the Gulf that day, LSEG data showed.

Key claims

• Hundreds of commercial ships have crossed out of the Strait of Hormuz, often by taking 'dark' journeys through Iran's 'toll-booth route' or with the guidance of the United States, according to ABC Australia, citing marine intelligence company Windward, which observed more than 80 commercial ships crossing in the last five weeks.
• Some Iranian tankers are likely slipping past the US blockade in the opposite direction and entering Iranian waters to be used to store oil offshore, analysts told ABC Australia.
• The US operation to guide ships through the strait, Project Freedom, was halted just days after it was announced, ABC Australia reported.
• About 120 vessels a day passed through the strait before the war, according to Lloyd's List, cited by The Hindu. Meanwhile, TASS reported that 124 commodity-carrying vessels have transited the strait since June 25, a figure comparable to pre-war daily levels. However, ABC Australia noted pre-war traffic could reach up to 140 commercial vessels a day.
• Approximately 25% of global oil trade volumes and about 20% of liquefied natural gas trade pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by TASS.
• Since the conflict began, 15 India-bound ships, including 10 Indian-flagged vessels, have transited the strait, while another 13 Indian-flagged ships carrying 325 seafarers remain west of the waterway, according to The Hindu.
• Iran will waive fees for security, safety, environmental services and related insurance during the 60-day negotiation period, and ships must submit transit requests at least 48 hours before arrival, as reported by South China Morning Post.
• The US military said commercial vessels were still operating, with US Central Command reporting 55 merchant ships transited the strait on Saturday, June 20, carrying more than 17 million barrels of oil for global markets, according to The Hindu.