Shipping firms pause Hormuz transits amid renewed U.S.-Iran clashes
After a week of escalated attacks between the United States and Iran, ship operators are delaying voyages through the Strait of Hormuz, citing heightened security risks.
Shipping companies are holding back vessels from the Strait of Hormuz following a series of attacks between the United States and Iran that ended a recently brokered truce. Harry Vafias, chief executive of the Athens-based firm StealthGas, said his firm will not send another ship through the waterway until the situation stabilises.
The decision reflects a broader dilemma for maritime operators who want to resume normal trade but face a "severe" threat level, according to an international maritime-risk assessment released on Friday. During the early phase of the conflict, about 1,500 ships were stranded after Iran asserted control over traffic in the strait.
A mid-June agreement between the U.S. and Iran had raised hopes for smoother passage, and many vessels subsequently moved supplies vital to global energy markets. However, Iran continues to assert that its waters are the only viable route, prompting ships to use alternative paths near Oman’s coast under U.S. naval protection. Iranian attacks on three vessels this week prompted the United States to strike 170 targets in Iran, and Qatari mediators are now attempting to revive the cease-fire.