US forces in recent weeks have helped coordinate the passage of dozens of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials, even as travel through the waterway remains risky amid stalled negotiations to end the war with Iran.
US Central Command has guided about 70 commercial ships through the strait, traveling into and out of the Persian Gulf, in the past three weeks, one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. The US officials added that most of the vessels had turned off their transponders to avoid detection when going through the narrow waterway.
The officials declined to say what type of vessels were going through and what route they took, but one official indicated that at least one route was not close to the Iranian coastline. Ships passing near Iran without obtaining Iranian approval face the threat of an almost-certain attack by Iranian drones or missiles, US officials said. Shipping analysts say the US-guided crossings appear to follow routes that are closer to Oman.
Before the US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, well over 100 commercial ships a day passed through the strait. So the US-coordinated passages — an average of three a day over the three-week period — do not represent a big comeback for shipping. And because US-guided crossings take place with transponders turned off, known as “dark” passages, shipping analysts say they cannot independently verify how many may have taken place.
Still, a steady passage of ships under US guidance would suggest that some shipowners are willing to take the risk to get in and out of the Persian Gulf, where many vessels have been stranded for weeks, losing money and leaving their crews in trying conditions.
The US-coordinated route is also an alternative for shipowners who don’t want to have to get permission from Iran or pay a toll to make the crossing. The conflict with Iran has led to a sharp reduction in energy supplies to world markets.
Last week, US officials said Iran and the United States were close to reaching an agreement that would reopen the strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and a significant proportion of its natural gas traveled before the war. But on Sunday, US officials said President Donald Trump had toughened the terms of a framework for a deal.