Despite the rise in traffic, uncertainties remain regarding future shipping flows amid ongoing negotiations between the two nations.
Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has risen to its highest level in two months following an agreement between the United States and Iran to halt their war, according to maritime tracking data. A total of 25 commercial vessels crossed the strategically important waterway on Thursday, the highest daily figure since mid-April, according to data released by maritime tracking firm AXSMarine.
The increase came after Washington and Tehran agreed earlier this week to re-open the route under a deal aimed at ending the conflict.
Vessel Crossings Surge
In a statement, AXSMarine said: “On June 18 we observed 25 verified commercial vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz — the highest single-day count since 18 April and more than five times the average daily level recorded during the first ten days of June.”
Iranian forces had effectively closed the strait after US and Israeli strikes triggered the war on 28 February. Maritime authorities reported dozens of attacks on vessels operating in the region during the conflict.
Iran later briefly reopened the waterway to commercial traffic, resulting in a short-lived increase in crossings on 18 April. Before the conflict, approximately 120 vessels passed through the strait each day, according to shipping publication Lloyd’s List. Economists estimate that around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports normally transit through the route.