Key facts
- Kuwait is asking customers to collect refined petroleum from its Persian Gulf ports.
- Ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has increased since an interim deal between Iran and the U.S.
- Iran declared it reclosed the strait, but the U.S. contested this, with dozens of ships passing through.
- President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. might impose tolls on strait crossings.
- Iran established a new authority to collect money from ships and expects them to register.
- Iran and Oman, along with other Gulf states, are discussing the future administration of the strait.
- Collecting tolls in the strait could violate international maritime law regarding freedom of navigation.
Kuwait has requested that customers collect refined petroleum products from its Persian Gulf ports, a move prompted by increased traffic and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Ship traffic through the vital waterway has seen an uptick since an interim deal was reached between Iran and the U.S., though it remains below pre-conflict levels.
Iran declared the strait reclosed, citing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, a claim contested by the U.S. Maritime tracking data indicates dozens of ships passed through over a recent weekend, but significantly fewer than the daily average prior to the conflict. President Donald Trump has suggested the U.S. may impose its own tolls on strait crossings if a final agreement with Iran is not secured within the 60-day negotiation period.
Iran has established a new governmental authority to collect fees from ships and expects them to register. As part of the provisional framework, Iran agreed not to charge transiting vessels tolls for 60 days and committed to conducting demining work and removing obstacles to shipping within 30 days. Iran's lead negotiator stated the country would manage the strait in accordance with international maritime law.
However, the main central route of the Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to mines, with ships utilizing the smaller northern and southern routes. Some vessels are reportedly concealing their positions by keeping transponders off. Experts and maritime associations warn that implementing a toll regime could violate the international principle of freedom of peaceful navigation, as codified by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which grants ships the right of unimpeded 'transit passage' through such straits.