Hormuz traffic rebounds as 25 ships cross in a day after US-Iran deal

Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose to its highest level since the beginning of June, with 25 ships crossing the strategic waterway on Thursday following the implementation of a US-Iran memorandum that includes reopening the chokepoint and lifting the US naval blockade on Iran. Iran and the US reached a 14‑point memorandum on June 14 through Pakistan‑mediated talks. The Islamabad Memorandum entered into force on June 18 after being signed digitally by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump.

Cargo details

Four supertankers alone carried at least 8 million barrels of crude oil through the strait. Three supertankers transported 6.2 million barrels of Saudi crude, with over 4 million barrels destined for Japan and South Korea. The Tenzan, a supertanker carrying 1.8 million barrels of UAE crude, is also sailing toward Japan. The French‑flagged LNG tanker Mraikh is carrying 169,000 cubic metres of Qatari LNG to Pakistan. Two dry bulk carriers are transporting fertiliser to India and China.

Gradual resumption

MarineTraffic data showed 12 vessels crossed on June 14, followed by 10 on June 15, 14 on June 16, and seven on June 17. Since the war began on February 28, many commercial vessels transiting the strait have either been under sanctions or identified as part of the so‑called “shadow fleet.” A large share of recent crossings has also taken place through Iranian territorial waters, known as the “Iran route.”