U.S. helped commercial ships transit Hormuz, newspaper says

U.S. Central Command, or Centcom, coordinated the passage of 70 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz over the past three weeks, according to U.S. officials cited by The New York Times. Navigation through the waterway, which accounts for about 20% of global oil and natural gas trade, still faces risks amid stalled peace talks between Washington and Tehran.

According to the officials, most of the vessels turned off their tracking systems during the transit to avoid detection. The sources did not say what types of vessels made the crossing or which routes were used, but indicated that one of them did not pass close to the Iranian coast. U.S. officials said vessels sailing near Iran without authorization could be targeted by drone and missile attacks.

Despite U.S. support, maritime traffic remains far below levels seen before the conflict began on Feb. 28. Before the crisis, more than 100 commercial vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz each day. The current average is just three vessels per day. Industry analysts said they are unable to independently verify the figures because tracking systems have been turned off.

Prospects for an agreement to fully reopen the waterway suffered another setback after President Donald Trump hardened the terms of negotiations with Iran. The previous week, officials from both countries had indicated that a preliminary agreement was close and included the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

After ending Project Freedom, launched in May to facilitate vessel crossings in the region, the United States began only advising ships, without providing naval escorts.

In a statement released Saturday, Centcom spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said U.S. forces continue to coordinate and communicate with commercial vessels seeking to transit freely and safely through the Strait of Hormuz, which he described as a critical international corridor for the global economy.

Vessels using the route recommended by the United States still face the risk of attacks. A container ship operated by France’s CMA CGM was hit during a crossing carried out during Project Freedom. According to Centcom, the vessel failed to follow certain operational guidelines.

Despite the difficulties, two U.S.-flagged vessels managed to cross the strait during the operation.

Another initiative launched by the United States in April to intercept vessels that had passed through Iranian ports has already led to the rerouting of 116 ships, according to Centcom, reducing the entry of Iranian oil to international markets.

Despite U.S. pressure, Iran maintains strong influence over Hormuz. Data from maritime intelligence company Kepler show that, of the 895 crossings recorded between March 1 and May 19, slightly more than half used the so-called Iranian route. About 40% followed unknown routes or crossed with their tracking systems turned off.

Source: Valor Econômico

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