Strait of Hormuz traffic drops after postponement of US-Iran talks
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz appears to have decreased on Friday morning, following the postponement of planned talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland.
The two sides had signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday and were due to formally open 60-day negotiations on a final agreement, centred on Iran's nuclear programme, in Bürgenstock, Switzerland on Friday. Those talks have now been postponed.
The cancellation is a setback for stabilisation in the region, maritime risk agency Marisks said in a note to clients cited by Bloomberg on Friday. "Unless diplomatic talks resume, the security situation is likely to remain volatile and maritime operators will continue to face ongoing uncertainty."
Belgian shipowners say they remain in the dark about the situation near the strait. "We assume that most are waiting until after the weekend to see if there is any progress on the matter," the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association (KBRV) said on Friday.
Loïc Van Staey, managing director of the KBRV, highlighted the danger posed by sea mines. "We’ll just have to wait and see," he said. "After the weekend, many ships will be watching to see if anyone else dares to sail through the Strait. If they do, others will soon follow."
Mines and congestion raise alarm
Other maritime organisations are also warning of safety risks for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, pointing to concerns about sea mines and heavy traffic in the narrow waterway. On Thursday, 25 commercial vessels passed through the strait, the highest daily count in two months.
The blockade of the vital shipping lane was lifted as part of the peace agreement signed on Wednesday evening. Under that agreement, Iran, in consultation with the other Gulf states, is to take charge of management and maritime services in the strait.
The Tehran government has made Iranian sovereignty over the strait a key condition in negotiations. To that end, it has established the so-called "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" (PGSA), which is mandated to authorise and regulate maritime transit through the strait.
PHOTO © AMIRHOSSEIN KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP
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