Hormuz Continues to See Traffic despite Fresh Concerns
(Update) June 30, 2026, 2:50 AM GMT: Article updated with additional ship transits in second paragraph.
Oil tankers continued navigating the Strait of Hormuz, despite a pair of attacks over the past several days that made some owners more cautious about navigating the world's top maritime chokepoint.
A trio of tankers were heading toward the strait inbound late on Monday while two successfully sailed out of the waterway earlier in the day, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. Two more oil supertankers, including one which turned back last week, appeared to be making another move toward departing the Persian Gulf.
The movements show that owners and ship crews are still prepared to brave Hormuz even after the attacks - one on an oil tanker on Saturday and another on a container ship two days earlier. Speaking privately, five owners said the incidents made them more cautious about going through, although others said their risk analysis hadn't materially changed.
The willingness of tanker companies and their crews to navigate Hormuz is critical to returning the global oil market to normal and unlocking millions of barrels of supply.
Two clear transit routes have emerged over the past several weeks - one in Iranian waters, and the other near the coast of Oman that's recommended by western navies. Around 80 mines are currently present in the main transit corridor that vessels would normally use, the International Maritime Organization said on Friday.
Iran has repeatedly said that ships can't transit without its permission and the country's media said ships violating Tehran's terms would be dealt with more strongly than before. Even so, the US and Iran also have agreed to stop attacking each other while peace negotiations are going on, offering hope of safe passage.
US assistance in transiting had already meant that more shipowners had been willing to pass, including millions of barrels a day of oil even before the interim peace deal came into effect.
Following the recent attacks, the Joint Maritime Information Center - which liaises between navies and merchant shipping - raised its threat level in the region to "substantial," having only recently lowered it to "moderate." It said that traffic dipped slightly but hasn't been interrupted.
The departure of a Saudi Arabian oil supertanker marks the first shipment that loaded at the giant Ras Tanura terminal since the ceasefire came into effect. The kingdom has three other vessels currently moored, or just departed from, the nation's export installations inside the Persian Gulf.
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