Strait of Hormuz Reopening Expectations Rise, Shipping Companies Cautiously Await US-Iran Agreement Details

BlockBeats News, June 15th. According to The New York Times, the US and Iran have preliminarily reached an agreement framework to end the conflict and plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, global shipping companies have stated that they will not immediately resume large-scale passage until clear security assurances are in place.

Several shipping companies have pointed out that the current major uncertainty lies in the lack of a clear security mechanism for strait passage. It is still necessary to confirm whether Iran has committed to no longer attacking commercial ships and whether there are stable and actionable navigation rules. Some companies have said that full resumption of passage may take weeks or even months.

An American shipping company, Safesea Group, has stated that its vessels in the Gulf region are still damaged or detained and that they require a "clear guarantee of no attack" before resuming navigation. Norwegian shipping company Hoegh Autoliners has also stated that despite the positive progress in the agreement, it is not sufficient to immediately resume shipping activities.

The Japan Shipowners' Association has similarly stated that they will wait for more specific safety and navigation arrangements, as up to 38 relevant vessels are still detained in the Gulf region.

The International Maritime Organization has said that the agreement is an important step towards restoring shipping safety but has emphasized the need to establish a security mechanism and gradually evacuate around 11,000 stranded seafarers. Industry bodies have pointed out the need for a neutral coordination mechanism in the future to avoid risks such as collision due to concentrated vessel passage.

According to vessel tracking agency Kpler, there are still around 500 large commercial ships detained in the Persian Gulf region. Analysts believe that whether the Strait of Hormuz will truly return to normal navigation will depend on the progress of subsequent security enforcement mechanisms and trust rebuilding among all parties.