TEHRAN, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is gradually recovering after months of disruption, but a new attack on a cargo vessel off Oman and competing claims over authorized routes have underscored the risks still hanging over one of the world's most important energy corridors.
Oil prices eased Friday as more tankers moved through the waterway, reducing fears of an immediate supply shock. Market data showed both Brent crude and U.S. benchmark crude falling as traders assessed signs that some supplies trapped in the Persian Gulf were beginning to move again.
Shipping data also pointed to a partial rebound in traffic through the strait, though flows remained well below prewar levels. Before the conflict, 100 to 130 vessels crossed the waterway each day. Recent tracking showed dozens of ships making the transit over the last weekend and into this week. But maritime analysts said many operators remained cautious, with some vessels still waiting outside the area or turning off tracking signals.
The strait, bordered by Iran and Oman, is a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. More than a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports normally move through it, making any prolonged disruption a threat to energy markets and global supply chains.
The latest security concern came Thursday, when a cargo vessel was struck by an unknown projectile near Oman's Musandam exclave. British maritime authorities said the ship was hit on its starboard side, damaging the bridge. No casualties or environmental impact were reported. Vanguard, a British marine security firm, identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged container ship Ever Lovely.
The incident followed more than a week of relative calm after Tehran and Washington reached an interim understanding aimed at restoring navigation through the strait. But the attack prompted the International Maritime Organization, the UN agency that oversees shipping, to pause a voluntary evacuation effort for vessels stranded in and around the Persian Gulf, adding uncertainty to an already delicate reopening.
A dispute over safe passage has complicated the process. Oman had announced a temporary route near its coast, but Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said vessels should only use routes authorized by Tehran. Iranian officials have warned that ships traveling outside designated corridors would not receive guarantees of safe passage, saying shipping through the strait will be governed by the terms of the war-end memorandum with Oman.
The main central route through the strait remains closed because of mines and other hazards, forcing vessels to use narrower northern and southern alternatives. Iran has said it will work to remove obstacles to navigation, but shipping experts say a full return to normal traffic could take months.
The future administration of the waterway remains a major sticking point in talks involving Iran, Oman, the Gulf states and the United States. Iran has pushed for a greater role in managing transit and has signaled interest in collecting maritime service fees, while Gulf Arab states and Western governments have opposed any toll system that could restrict freedom of navigation. ■
