First Ships Transit Strait of Hormuz as Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire Takes Hold

By Tgnews Reporter

In the first concrete sign of de-escalation following weeks of crisis, two commercial vessels successfully passed through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, hours after Iran agreed to temporarily reopen the waterway under a two-week ceasefire with the United States.

Maritime tracking service MarineTraffic reported that the Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth crossed the strait at 08:44 UTC, while the Liberia-flagged vessel Daytona Beach transited earlier at 06:59 UTC after departing from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas at 05:28 UTC.

The movements mark the first reported transits since Iran severely restricted access to the strait in retaliation for US and Israeli military strikes that began on February 28.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the ceasefire arrangement overnight, stating that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be possible for the two-week period “via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces.” The agreement followed intense diplomatic efforts, including talks scheduled to begin in Islamabad on Friday.

She added that while more crossings are expected in the coming days, “from a risk and compliance perspective this first transit should be read cautiously.”

The NJ Earth maintained its transponder signal active as it followed an Iranian-approved route near Larak Island — the same path used by most vessels during the restricted period of the past three weeks.

Shipping sources indicate that hundreds of vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf. Lloyd’s List and S&P Global Market Intelligence estimate around 800 ships, including numerous tankers, are currently waiting to move. Some owners and charterers have already begun preparing to reposition vessels stuck due to the closure.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) passing through it during normal operations. From March 1 to April 7, commodities carriers recorded only 307 crossings — a staggering 95% decrease from peacetime levels, according to Kpler data.

The temporary reopening forms a key condition of the US-Iran ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump, who had set a firm deadline for Iran to allow safe passage or face further consequences. Iran has described the two-week window as conditional on the halt of attacks against it.

Global oil markets reacted with relief to the news, with prices falling sharply on expectations that even a limited resumption of traffic could ease supply concerns in the short term.

However, analysts and shipowners stress that full normalization remains uncertain. The ceasefire is fragile, and any violation could quickly snap the strait shut again.

As the first ships emerge from weeks of near-total restriction, the world is watching closely to see whether this tentative opening signals the beginning of a broader return to stability in one of the planet’s most volatile energy arteries — or merely a brief pause in a dangerous confrontation.

AFP