Key facts
- Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has dwindled following the collapse of U.S.-Iran peace talks.
- Iran claimed to have closed the Strait of Hormuz.
- The U.S. reported commercial shipping continued unimpeded, with 55 vessels transiting.
- President Trump threatened to impose tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
- International maritime officials stated there is no fundamental basis under international law for imposing tolls.
Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has dwindled as shippers pull back from immediate passage amid the collapse of U.S.-Iran peace talks. On Friday morning, no tanker was observed to have moved outbound from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, according to vessel-tracking data. This follows a rush of dozens of vessels that left the Gulf outbound on Thursday, marking a reopening of the chokepoint. A total of 18 transits were recorded across the June 17 to 18 window, the highest single-window count of the conflict. Iran had claimed it closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, but the U.S. Central Command reported that commercial shipping continued unimpeded, with 55 vessels transiting. The U.S.-Iran deal, which raised hopes for an end to oil supply disruptions, was set to begin in Switzerland on Friday after a memorandum of understanding started a 60-day countdown for negotiations. However, the talks collapsed before they began. President Trump had previously threatened to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if a final deal was not reached within 60 days, stating no charges would apply during the negotiation period. Major international tanker operators are not rushing to return to the Strait of Hormuz, with one CEO estimating it could take at least a couple of weeks or a month.