Iran: All vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz must switch to two alternative routes
On Thursday, April 9, the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States entered its second day. According to AFP, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Thursday that all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must divert to two alternative routes close to Iran’s coastline, citing potential "mines" in the traditional open-sea channel.
Iranian media cited a military statement saying: "To avoid collisions with possible mines, vessels must switch to alternative routes within the Strait of Hormuz under coordination with the IRGC Navy until further notice." The statement was accompanied by a nautical chart indicating these routes lie on either side of Larak Island. Specifically, ships entering the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman must pass between Iran’s coast and Larak Island. However, this passage has been referred to by the authoritative shipping publication Lloyd’s List as "Tehran’s toll gate." Ships exiting the Persian Gulf are required to pass south of the island, avoiding the conventional route closer to Oman’s coast.
Recent shipping records indicate that vessels have seemingly begun using these alternative routes within Iranian territorial waters. The U.S. and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement late Tuesday into early Wednesday, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran's ten-point proposal demands "maintaining Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz." Ironically, President Trump stated that Iran had agreed to "completely, immediately, and safely open the Strait of Hormuz." According to the Financial Times, Tehran is demanding a $1 fee per barrel of oil passing through the strait, to be settled in cryptocurrency. Nevertheless, specific details regarding the "toll" agreement remain unclear.
According to data from Kpler, only 307 shipments of raw materials passed through the strait between March 1 and April 7—about a 95% decline compared to normal peaceful periods. Since the ceasefire announcement, only three vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz so far, a number that has not significantly changed from recent days. Currently, more than 800 vessels are stranded in the Gulf region. However, the latest reports suggest that Chinese tankers may become the first vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz following the ceasefire agreement.
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862001666107456/
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