At least eight commercial ships trying to leave the Persian Gulf turned back between Friday and Saturday near the Omani coast, suggesting that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains far from normal despite a recent US-Iran agreement to reopen the crucial waterway.
Ship-tracking data showed that some of the vessels later continued their journey, but only after changing course and moving onto a route closer to Iran, according to Bloomberg.
The latest developments come after reports that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) deployed special forces along Iran’s Persian Gulf coast to monitor commercial ships using the Oman-side route through Hormuz.
Several vessels made sudden U-turns
The ships included oil tankers, bulk carriers and vehicle carriers. According to Bloomberg, this ships were seen sailing toward the Strait of Hormuz before several unexpectedly reversed course. Some of the vessels had already reached the tip of the Musandam Peninsula, which extends into the narrow strait, before making sharp U-turns.
According to the tracking data, one crude oil tanker, two product tankers and one bulk carrier later resumed their voyage by heading north and using an outbound route that Iran says ships must follow. The exact reason behind the U-turns remains unclear.
IRGC gathering intelligence on ship movements
Sources told Iran International that the deployed IRGC teams are using several intelligence systems, including land-based observation posts, naval equipment and aerial surveillance. Their latest task is to identify ships planning to use the southern shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz and issue warnings before the vessels pass through.
The Oman shipping route, also known as the southern corridor, runs through Hormuz along the territorial waters of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. The route stays close to the Omani coast, allowing ships to avoid the northern shipping lanes controlled by Iran.
Iran has repeatedly said that all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz should use only the officially approved route designated by the Islamic Republic. Over the past few months, several ships leaving the Persian Gulf have reported receiving radio warnings from Iranian forces, telling them they needed permission from Tehran before crossing the strait.
The deployment of the monitoring network comes just days after Washington and Tehran agreed to a one-week de-escalation. Some vessels that continued sailing despite the warnings were later attacked.
One example was the attack on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Hormuz near Oman’s coast. The incident happened only hours after the IRGC Navy warned ships against using routes it considered unauthorised. As a result, the ceasefire was left super shaky because Iran exercised what it called its “right” over the Strait of Hormuz, and the US believed that broke the agreement. The two sides then attacked each other again.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, Iran’s military said, “Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels.”
The statement added, “Any disruptive action in the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a threat to Iran’s national sovereignty and will be met with a rapid and decisive action.”
Three shipping routes now operating
According to the report, three different routes have now emerged for ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz. The first is the southern route near Oman’s coast. The second is the middle route that was commonly used before the war. The third is the northern route, which is under Iranian control.
Ships using routes that are not approved by Iran risk being targeted. At the same time, vessels choosing the Iranian route worry they could face Western sanctions if the current agreement between Washington and Tehran breaks down.
A shipping analyst from maritime intelligence firm Kpler told CNN that if the disagreements are not settled by mid-August, shipping across all three routes could become even more complicated and less secure.
On the other hand, Iran and Oman are already discussing a new system that could introduce maritime service fees once the ’60 days’ period expires. Oman has proposed a framework under international maritime law that would allow ships to pay for navigation, safety and emergency services. According to reports, Oman wants the payments to remain voluntary.
Iran, however, has taken a tougher position. Iranian officials have said ships should pay mandatory service fees and have argued that the era of completely free passage through the Strait of Hormuz is over.
The United States opposes any plan that would allow Iran to collect compulsory charges from ships, saying international waterway should remain open without Tehran controlling access.
Traffic is improving but remains below pre-war levels
Commercial traffic has started to recover since the United States and Iran reached an agreement in mid-June to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. An average of about 34 commodity vessels have crossed the strait each day since Monday. While that is higher than the daily average seen during much of the conflict, it is still well below the levels recorded before the war.
Data from the Joint Maritime Information Centre showed that between June 30 and July 1, a total of 65 ships crossed along the Omani side of the strait. Of those, 59 received US support.
Despite the agreement, Iran has continued to claim authority over the waterway, while the United States has continued helping commercial vessels travel along the Omani route.
US backs alternative shipping route
Iran’s warning comes as the United States and its regional partners are encouraging more commercial vessels to use a southern shipping corridor close to Oman’s coastline.
The alternative route is designed to move ships farther away from Iranian-controlled waters and reduce Tehran’s influence over the strait.According to maritime intelligence firm Windward, nearly half of all inbound commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is already using the Omani route.
Maritime analytics company Kpler also reported that shipping is recovering after US-Iran strikes briefly disrupted traffic. It recorded 45 vessel crossings on Wednesday, up from 34 the previous day. Of those, 21 used the Omani route while 11 travelled along the Iranian route.