Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz

Shipping company CEO: Can start sailing through Hormuz in a day

Shipping company Stena Bulk is still hesitant to start sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, despite the mediating country Pakistan claiming that the agreement between the US and Iran is effective immediately and that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened immediately.

Stena Bulk CEO Erik Hånell tells TT that there are a number of question marks that need to be straightened out before they start sailing through the narrow strait. But if they receive information on a few crucial points, their ships in the strait could start moving within a day.

It is still unclear whether Iran will charge a fee for passage through the strait. The US claims that this should not be the case, but Iran's chief negotiator claims that it will only apply during the 60-day period when a lasting peace agreement is to be negotiated.

According to Erik Hånell, it would be "very unfortunate" if there were tolls in the strait.

First Saudi oil ships have passed through Hormuz

Several ships have resumed voyages through the Strait of Hormuz following the new memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, Bloomberg reports. Among them are three state-owned Saudi supertankers that have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of the war.

A ship carrying Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a Chinese tanker have also been able to pass through the strait.

The Saudi ships' passage is seen as particularly significant, as they are the first to transport large volumes of oil through Hormuz, the news agency writes.

Over 100 tankers are said to have been stuck in the Gulf since the outbreak of the war.