Strait of Hormuz reopening delayed as mine-clearing operation could take weeks

The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is expected to be delayed by a mine-clearing operation that could last 40 to 50 days, according to maritime security and transport sources. The delay comes after a peace agreement that was said to allow the waterway to reopen, but normal shipping has not yet resumed. The strait is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, and the disruption is already affecting oil flows from the Gulf.

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The reported clearance effort would use conventional minehunters and underwater drones, with authorities urging extreme caution before ships are allowed through. Sources cited in the report said insurers, shipping companies and oil firms want security guarantees before authorising transit. The article says only 12 to 15 vessels are currently crossing the area each day, compared with about 140 before the war, underscoring how sharply traffic has fallen.

The disruption matters because the Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of global oil exports, and any prolonged restriction can tighten supply and raise uncertainty in energy markets. The report says millions of barrels of oil remain held up in the Gulf, while stocks in major economies are already near their lowest levels since at least 2003, according to recent analysis by the US Energy Information Administration. That makes the pace of reopening significant not only for shipping firms, but also for consumers and governments watching fuel supply.

The report places the delay in the context of the wider conflict that led to the current closure, saying Gulf oil flows were blocked after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February. It also says Iran and the US have quietly helped some ships pass through the waterway in recent weeks, even as maritime authorities continued to warn of the mine threat. Donald Trump is quoted in the report as saying the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, linking the issue directly to the peace agreement.

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The Strait of Hormuz has long been a strategic route because of the volume of oil that passes through it, and the current situation shows how quickly maritime security concerns can affect global trade. The report says it is not clear how many mines Iran may have laid in the strait, but it notes that the area previously handled about 20% of global oil supply. That makes the clearance operation a matter of both security and economic stability, with insurers and shippers effectively setting the pace for any return to normal traffic.

What remains unclear is how quickly the mine-clearing teams can establish safe routes and whether the security guarantees demanded by insurers and oil companies will be enough to restore regular transit. The report does not say when full commercial shipping will resume, only that the process may take weeks. The next developments to watch are the progress of the clearance operation, any further official statements on reopening, and whether vessel traffic begins to rise from the current low level.

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