Over 400 Tankers Stuck in Strait of Hormuz Awaiting Reopening

On June 23, satellite data from the European Space Agency indicated that approximately 441 large tankers were gathered in the waters near Oman’s Sohar Port and the UAE’s Fujairah Port on the afternoon of the 21st, waiting for negotiations between Iran and the United States to restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. This number is significantly higher than normal levels but has decreased by 42 vessels compared to five days earlier. Following the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the U.S., some shipping companies temporarily resumed operations due to the easing of tensions. However, after Israel launched an attack on Lebanon, Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz once again. On the morning of the 22nd, four Qatari liquefied natural gas carriers passed through the Strait of Hormuz, marking the highest daily number since the outbreak of conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran at the end of February.