UN IMO Estimates 80 Mines in Hormuz
The United Nations International Maritime Organization reported on Friday that approximately 80 mines remain in historic shipping lanes within the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the difficulty of restoring normal operations on this critical oil transit route.
The Iran‑Iran war created two alternative shipping channels through Hormuz. One route follows Oman’s coast and is coordinated by the United States, while a separate Tehran‑controlled route runs closer to Iran. The central corridor, known as the Traffic Separation Scheme, is believed to contain the explosives.
The presence of these explosives has raised concerns among shipowners and crews responsible for transporting Middle‑East oil, gas, and other cargoes to global markets. Following an interim US‑Iran peace deal announced last week, the shipping industry has urged authorities to reopen the original channel. The mine‑clearing process is expected to take several weeks.
Under the terms of the peace agreement, Iran is responsible for removing the mines. Tehran has alternated between stating that vessels can transit freely and requiring its authorization for passage.
On Thursday, a vessel was attacked on the Omani route, prompting other ships to turn back. This incident led the IMO to cancel plans to evacuate freighters that had been stuck inside the Persian Gulf for months.
The peace deal has helped restore regional exports to about 80% of pre‑war levels in recent days, and more tankers were observed transporting cargoes out of the Persian Gulf on Friday.
Last week, Pakistan, which coordinates navigational warnings in the area, reported detecting a mine near Oman. The US Navy previously stated that the southern route is free of mines. Earlier in June, the United Kingdom and France developed plans to lead a multinational mine‑clearing mission in the strait.