Strait of Hormuz: US declares trade routes clear of mines.

The main commercial shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, which are recognised internationally, have been cleared of Iranian naval mines. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), announced this, stating that U.S. forces had spent recent months locating and neutralising the devices along international shipping routes. The operation specifically targeted routes within the Strait’s Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), a vital piece of maritime infrastructure for the transit of vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. According to Cooper, the operation involved U.S. Navy divers, Navy SEALs, and air and naval assets from various U.S. military branches.

CENTCOM has stated that operations have already allowed around 1,500 commercial vessels to pass through the Strait, totalling approximately 750 million barrels of crude oil. The US government's goal is to encourage a gradual resumption of commercial shipping along one of the world's key energy transport routes. However, the US statement does not suggest that traffic has returned to normal levels. In fact, the latest figures show that activity remains sharply reduced: on Thursday, only seven commercial vessels carrying commodities were recorded transiting the Strait, compared to an average of 15 over the previous ten days. These included two medium-sized product tankers, one Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), one Ultramax tanker, one intermediate tanker and two chemical tankers.

Related: Iran and Oman are set to establish a framework for the Hormuz Corridor.

An element of uncertainty regarding navigational safety also persists, which is a concern given the potential consequences. In recent days, the Joint Maritime Information Center continued to warn of the risk of drifting or undetected mines within and near the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), keeping the general threat level for the Strait classified as "severe." Search and mine-clearing operations are ongoing. This situation forms part of a broader phase of negotiations concerning the future of navigation in the Strait. Iran and Oman have discussed the possibility of establishing a temporary corridor for commercial shipping and a joint mine-clearing programme. The aim is to reach an agreement on managing security for the main maritime route into the Gulf.

Therefore, a return to normal transit levels remains a long way off. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical point in the global energy supply chain. Before the crisis, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil passed through it. While removing mines from commercial routes is a significant step towards resuming traffic, the recovery of volumes to previous levels will depend primarily on the evolution of the security situation and the political conditions governing access to the waterway.

Source: Agencies Image: Associated Press