Shipping companies said many things remained to be clarified, including the presence of mines, Iranian conditions, and practical implementation.
Published on 17 April 2026
Shipping companies cautiously welcomed Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is open, but said they would need clarification, including the risk of mines, before ships could sail through the entry point into the Gulf.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was open to all commercial vessels during a 10-day Lebanon ceasefire agreement, causing oil and other commodity prices to fall while stock markets rose.
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A senior Iranian official told Reuters news agency that all commercial ships, including ships from the United States, can pass through the strait, although their plans need to be coordinated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The official said transit would be limited to lanes Iran considers safe, adding that military vessels were still banned.
“We are currently reaffirming the recent announcement regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in the context of compliance with freedom of navigation and safe passage for all merchant vessels,” said Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations shipping agency.
The Norwegian Shipowners Association said several things would have to be clarified before any ships could transit through the strait, including the presence of mines, Iranian conditions and practical implementation.
“If this represents a step towards an opening up, it is a welcome development,” said Knut Arild Hareide, CEO of the association, which represents 130 companies with about 1,500 vessels.
Shipping association BIMCO cautioned members against returning to the strait.
Jacob Larsen, BIMCO’s chief safety and security officer, said, “The mine threat situation… is unclear and BIMCO believes shipping companies should consider avoiding the area.”
The threat posed by mines in parts of the strait is not fully understood, and ships should consider avoiding the area, a US Navy advisory seen by Reuters on Friday also said.
German shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said Friday it was working to get its ships through the strait “as quickly as possible,” but added that many questions remained.
“Our crisis committee is in session and will attempt to resolve all open issues with relevant parties within the next 24-36 hours,” it added.
Its Danish peer Maersk said it was closely monitoring the safety situation and would act based on its risk assessment.
France’s CMA CGM and Norwegian oil tanker group Frontline declined to comment.
Matt Wright, principal freight analyst at data intelligence firm Kpler, said a recent route imposed by Tehran through its territorial waters near Larak Island would present navigational challenges, even if ships are not required to pay tolls, and would raise questions regarding compliance and insurance.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran has agreed to never close the strait again and is removing sea mines from it.
The disruption in the strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, has forced shipping companies to suspend sailings, re-route cargo and rely on expensive workarounds to move goods in and out of the gulf.
