Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is steadily recovering after the U.S.-Iran agreement, with vessel crossings rising sharply and new IMO-approved evacuation corridors being utilised, though traffic remains below pre-war levels.

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz continued to show improvement on Tuesday compared with levels seen before the United States and Iran reached their agreement. Several vessels were observed using a newly established International Maritime Organization evacuation corridor, which was designed to facilitate safer passage for ships and to assist in evacuating thousands of stranded seafarers in the Gulf.

By 1500 GMT on Wednesday, maritime analytics firm Kpler recorded 25 commodity vessel transits on Tuesday and 17 more by Wednesday afternoon. These figures are expected to increase further, as some crossings are identified retrospectively through satellite imagery.

Although Tuesday’s total remained below the 38 commodity ship transits registered on Monday, which marked the highest daily figure since Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz on 1 March following the outbreak of the Middle East war, the traffic levels still point to a continued recovery.

According to Kpler, an average of 22 vessels have crossed the waterway each day since 15 June, compared with fewer than 10 daily crossings between 1 March and 14 June, before Washington and Tehran agreed to a memorandum of understanding. This demonstrates a significant improvement in operational activity.

Under normal conditions, around 120 vessels pass through the Strait of Hormuz every day. The strategic waterway handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports, making it one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.

Marine Traffic, a Kpler-owned website, showed multiple vessels passing through new IMO-approved routes. These include a passage hugging the Omani shore for ships exiting the Gulf and a route in Iranian waters for traffic going in both directions. IMO chief Arsenio Dominguez stated that the UN agency hopes to soon see around 50 vessels evacuated through these routes each day.

Very large crude carriers, or super-tankers capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of oil, have been crossing the strait more frequently since the U.S.-Iran agreement. This indicates renewed confidence among operators and a gradual restoration of energy flows.

Despite the progress, traffic remains far below pre-war levels. Maritime intelligence firms have noted that while crossings have surged in recent days, they are still only a fraction of the normal daily average. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has also issued warnings against using routes not approved by Tehran, creating lingering uncertainty for shipowners.

Nevertheless, the rebound in traffic, including a reported 105% jump in crossings on 24 June, suggests growing confidence among shipping operators.

Demining efforts and the establishment of safer corridors have contributed to this recovery, though experts caution that unresolved issues linked to sanctions and control of the waterway continue to pose risks.

The situation highlights both the fragility and importance of the Strait of Hormuz. While the U.S.-Iran deal has eased disruptions and allowed traffic to resume, the waterway remains vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and military actions in the region.

Agencies