Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to return to normal immediately after any political reopening, as mine clearance, route verification and insurer approval remain unresolved, according to Reuters, maritime security sources and industry groups.
Reuters reported that mine-safety operations using minesweepers and underwater drones could continue for about 40 to 50 days after any agreement before many insurers, shipping companies and oil firms are willing to resume regular transits. V.Group Chief Executive Rene Kofod-Olsen said a single mine could be enough to stop passages.
BIMCO said significant risks persist and that the central part of the Strait is mined and not navigable, with only inshore traffic zones near Oman and Iran reported free of mines. Markets remain focused on safe routes, traffic separation, queue management, reporting procedures, naval protection and emergency-response plans, while BIMCO said services could return to pre-conflict levels within a couple of months if those measures are put in place and mine risks are addressed.
Reuters also said underwriters, charterers and shipowners need assurance on residual risk before traffic can normalize, with war-risk premiums still elevated in the Gulf. U.S. officials have said mine-clearing is ongoing, Germany cited U.S. and UK information on four mine locations, and Oman’s maritime security center warned on May 30 of a suspected floating mine on its side of the waterway. International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said a reopening deal would still require time to implement safety and security guarantees, while the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in June that the disruption had already lasted more than three months and that production and trade patterns may not generally return to pre-conflict levels until early 2027.