Strait of Hormuz Begins Reopening as Tankers Exit US Blockade
Summary
At least three Iranian tankers carrying ~5 million barrels of crude exited the US Navy blockade in the Strait of Hormuz — the first outbound shipment in roughly two months — as shipowners reposition ahead of the Geneva MOU signing. The pact is expected to reopen Hormuz and waive sanctions on Iranian oil. Shipowners remain cautious, awaiting safety assurances before resuming transits.
Key Data Points
- Pre-war Hormuz traffic: ~3,000 vessels/month; ~15M bpd of oil (≈1/5 of world oil trade)
- During war: collapsed >90%; only 191 vessels recorded crossing in all of April 2026
- Closure duration: ~Feb 28/Mar 4 – mid-June 2026 (~3.5 months), now reversing
- June 17: 3 Iranian tankers (~5M bbl) exit blockade, first outbound in ~2 months
- Trump lifted US naval blockade of ships docked at Iranian ports
- Shipowners “cautiously awaiting more details” — reopening is gradual, not instant
Bias Assessment
CNBC and Al Jazeera are mainstream outlets with corroborating maritime data; UANI (United Against Nuclear Iran) is an advocacy group but its shipping-tracking data is widely cited and quantitative. Event facts (tankers exiting, blockade lifted) are consistent across sources.