Even though a key global energy trade waterway is slowly clearing its blockages, the Strait of Hormuz remains a hotbed of undercurrents.
According to reports, three different shipping routes have now appeared in the Strait of Hormuz. The first route is located in the northern part of the strait and is controlled by Iran. The second route cuts through the middle of the strait—it is the usual international shipping lane used before the strait was obstructed. The third route lies in the southern part of the strait, passing through waters near Oman, and is operated in coordination by Oman, the United States, and the International Maritime Organization.
Because different entities manage these routes, shipping order in the Strait of Hormuz has become far more complicated.
On June 29, the Oman-Iran joint working group held its first meeting on the strait issue in the Omani capital, Muscat. Both sides reiterated their commitment to international law.
Later that day, Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released an interview with Foreign Minister Badr. The interview made clear that Oman does not support charging transit fees for ships passing through the strait.
Badr suggested learning from the practices of other straits to discuss improving navigation safety, boosting maritime accident response capabilities, and tackling marine pollution. Any such arrangements would be worked out in consultation with the countries and shipping companies using the Strait of Hormuz, with the goal of not adding extra burdens to global trade.
Although almost all of the main deep-water navigation areas in the Strait of Hormuz lie within Oman’s territorial waters, Iran has full control. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea states that coastal states of international straits cannot arbitrarily restrict or charge transit fees.
U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that Iran hopes to use revenue from service fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to fund post-war reconstruction. Iran estimates that charging for safety, environmental, and other services in the strait could bring in $40 billion annually for the countries involved.
Iran has repeatedly stated that it plans to charge ships crossing the strait a “maritime service fee” rather than a transit fee. This “service fee” would cover the costs of maritime support services like navigation, search and rescue, and pollution prevention. Fees would be tiered based on a ship’s tonnage, type, and cargo—meaning large, high-risk vessels like oil tankers would be charged more than ordinary cargo ships.
Iran hopes to gradually implement these fees after reaching consensus with Gulf coastal states under international law, through negotiations with nations like Oman. But this stance has already faced widespread opposition.
Last month, the Iranian government announced the creation of a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz: the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority.” Its core regulations include collecting “safe passage fees” from transiting ships, and extending sovereign oversight to undersea pipelines and data cables running through the strait.
Iran is still requiring all vessels to coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It has also published recommended shipping lanes: the safest route for vessels entering the Persian Gulf is south of Iran’s Hormuz Island; for those leaving the Persian Gulf, the recommended route is south of Iran’s Larak Island.
The United States sees the Strait of Hormuz as a key hub for controlling the Gulf region and, through escort operations, insists that all commercial ships enjoy unconditional rights of transit passage. The U.S. military maintains a long-term presence in the Persian Gulf, including carrier strike groups, Aegis destroyers, minesweepers, and accompanying anti-submarine aviation assets—all focused on countering threats from Iranian mines, drones, and small boats.
Shipping analytics firm Kepler reports that on June 29, a total of 24 oil tankers and commercial vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Morgan Stanley noted in a report that due to the strait reopening faster than expected, it has revised down its Brent crude oil price forecasts: for the third quarter of 2026, the price forecast is lowered by $15 to $75 per barrel; for the fourth quarter, the forecast is lowered by $5 to $75 per barrel.
