Trump declares Hormuz open, but wary shipping lines hesitate

Following the tentative US-Iran peace framework, President Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz open for business on Truth Social. Announcing the lifting of the US naval blockade, Trump urged global shippers to “start your engines” and “let the oil flow,” later claiming that loaded tankers were already safely navigating a pristine southern route. However, the international shipping industry is responding with extreme caution. Maritime bodies like BIMCO and INTERTANKO warn that political declarations cannot instantly erase the physical risks built up over a 107-day war. The chokepoint remains littered with sophisticated sea mines and electronic jamming hazards, requiring weeks of naval sweeping operations before routes can be certified safe. Furthermore, clearing a massive backlog of roughly 2,000 stalled vessels will take considerable time. Insurers are maintaining steep war risk premiums, prompting major shipping lines to take a strict wait-and-see approach, according to a report.

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