War in the Middle East: why cargo ships and oil tankers may not be able to easily cross

Despite the announced ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, unlocking the Strait of Hormuz, ship passages remain limited, hindered by the fragility of the truce and uncertainties about the security of this maritime route.

Published on: April 9, 2026 at 11:55

Reading time: 6 mins

Image description: Cargo ships and oil tankers off the coast of the city of Fujairah (United Arab Emirates) in the Strait of Hormuz on February 25, 2026. (GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP)

The United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on the night of Tuesday, April 7, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, almost blocked since the start of the war on February 28, under the control of the Iranian army. A few hours after this announcement, the first ships began crossing the strait. “For two weeks, it will be possible to cross the Strait of Hormuz in complete safety in coordination with the Iranian Armed Forces,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi. However, some shipowners are reluctant to risk traveling on this maritime route, where 20% of the world’s oil consumption usually passes through.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy announced on April 9 that ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz must take two alternative routes closer to the Iranian coast due to the possibility of mines on the usual route further offshore. This plan indicates that ships entering the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman will pass between the Iranian coast and Larak Island, bypassing the usual route closer to the coast of Oman. Recent crossings have taken this alternative route in Iranian territorial waters.

The truce remains fragile between Iran and the United States following simultaneous Israeli strikes on Lebanon, particularly in residential areas of Beirut, which killed 182 people and injured 890, according to a preliminary assessment by the Lebanese Ministry of Health released on Wednesday night. The day after these attacks, Lebanon observed a day of mourning after the worst strikes the country has seen since the start of the war. International communities fear these attacks may jeopardize the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, now in its second day. These “violations undermine the spirit of the peace process,” said Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, mediator in the Middle East conflict, who believes the truce should apply “everywhere, including in Lebanon.”

These Israeli strikes pose a “serious danger to the ceasefire and efforts for lasting and general peace in the region,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement. The pro-Iranian Hezbollah claimed to have fired rockets at Israel in reaction to their “violation of the ceasefire,” targeting the Manara area [just across the border with Israel] with a rocket barrage, according to a statement from Hezbollah.

Reopening is slow. Three ships, including one Greek and one sailing under the Liberian flag, crossed the strait on Wednesday, while over 800 vessels are immobilized in the Gulf, as reported by AFP. However, some maritime transportation actors have decided not to venture yet. Tankers received a radio message warning of potential attacks if they traveled on this maritime route without authorization, according to the Financial Times.

According to Lloyd’s List, ship crossings are subject to control by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy. Cargo ships must submit a passage request, providing information such as cargo nature, owners’ and charterers’ names, and crew lists to obtain access code. Ships authorized to pass through the strait must pay two million dollars, according to Le Monde.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian emphasized on France Inter that introducing a toll mechanism in the strait would be “unacceptable,” as it would contradict international law. “The freedom of navigation in international waters is a common good, a common good of humanity that should not be hampered by any hindrance or right of passage,” he said, rejecting President Donald Trump’s idea of creating a joint company to manage navigation in the strait with payment.