Increased ship traffic through the Iranian route of the Strait of Hormuz

More ships are transiting the Iranian route through the Strait of Hormuz than the southern route. Maritime security analyst Dimitris Maniatis says that after a “sharp increase” in the number of commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz following the Iran-U.S. agreement signed last month, there is now a “sharp decline” in their numbers. He noted that over the past three days, 26 ships have taken the Iranian route, while only five have chosen the southern route protected by the U.S. military. Maniatis told Al Jazeera: “It is clear that the Strait of Hormuz is operating under a parallel and competing transit system, not a unified international maritime regime.” “Commercial operators are adapting by choosing routes that fundamentally depend on individual political, commercial, and security preferences, rather than following a globally accepted transit framework.” Maniatis noted that the Japanese government succeeded in reaching an agreement with Iran and securing the departure of seven Japanese vessels that had been trapped in the strait.| Fararu