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Container Ships Resume Tentative Hormuz Passage as Peace Talks Progress

Container vessels are beginning to exit the Persian Gulf following U.S.-Iran peace talks in Switzerland, though navigation remains hazardous due to suspected mines in the waterway. A 60-day memorandum of understanding between the two nations paves the way for a more permanent agreement. Maritime data shows 20 vessels entered the Gulf and 16 exited on a recent day, with most transiting the northern route through Iranian waters. Full mine-clearance operations could require one to six months. Forty-seven containerships remain trapped in the Persian Gulf after nearly four months of disruption. The 16,000-teu HMM Daon was deployed on the Premier Alliance's Far East-Middle East GS2 service and is among vessels expected to depart. Shipping recovery is anticipated to occur in phases, beginning with extraction of stranded vessels and crews.