Strait of Hormuz vessel crossings nearly triple as Oman opens temporary passage without transit fee

MUSCAT: Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has rebounded sharply, with confirmed crossings nearly tripling week-on-week as Oman announced a temporary maritime passage to support navigation through one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints.

According to MarineTraffic, citing its own data and Kpler data, confirmed vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz increased from 32 vessels during June 12-14 to 93 vessels during June 19-21.

The increase of 61 crossings marks a clear recovery in activity across two consecutive weekends.

The sharpest rise was recorded on Saturday, when vessel crossings jumped from 3 to 42 compared with the previous weekend.

MarineTraffic said the recovery was supported by recent diplomatic developments and a temporary OFAC general licence, which helped ease immediate compliance uncertainty around approved Hormuz transits until August 21.

Separately, Oman News Agency reported that the Sultanate of Oman had worked, in coordination with the International Maritime Organization, to provide ships the option of using a temporary maritime passage.

The announcement said the measure was taken in line with Oman’s responsibility towards the Strait of Hormuz, its importance to the global economy and the country’s commitment to international law and the law of the sea.

Oman said the objective was to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait without imposing transit fees.

The temporary route will be available according to coordinates announced by the International Maritime Organization and relevant Omani authorities.

Ships seeking to use the route will be required to coordinate with the International Maritime Organization.

The development follows efforts involving the United States and Iran, with Oman saying the temporary passage aligns with outcomes reached through those efforts.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a key route for global energy shipments, and any disruption to traffic through the waterway can affect oil, gas and broader maritime trade flows.