After the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 109 large ships, each with a capacity of at least 700,000, were trapped in the Persian Gulf. barrels of oil. Of those, 29 successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to an analysis by Bloomberg, which compiled data on shipping through the critical waterway.
The analysis included ships that did not belong to Iran.
29 tankers escaped through Hormuz. The actual number may be higher
The crude oil and refined products that have flowed out represent only a small fraction of the total resources still trapped in the Persian Gulf. These have been quickly absorbed by the market as global inventory buffers shrink at record rates.
In addition, many ships turned off their location devices to avoid risk, suggesting that the actual number of ships that escaped may be higher than reported, writes Bloomberg.
See also: Iran's new institution attacks shipping through Hormuz. The fees run into the millions of dollars
Strait of Hormuz
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Adam Ziemienowicz / PAP / photos
Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
Under normal conditions, about 20% of the world flows through the Strait of Hormuz. world demand for crude oil and liquefied natural gas, but shipping traffic has virtually ceased since the February 28 launch of attacks on Iran by the US and Israel.
See also: Tankers broke the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. They are sailing to Asia
Commercially available supplies of crude oil are dwindling rapidly. They will only last a few weeks, warns the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, in mid-May.
Iran-US agreement. The Strait of Hormuz is in focus
On Thursday, the media reported that the US and Iran had reached a preliminary agreement on extending the ceasefire.
According to Axios, which first reported the information, the proposed 60-day memorandum of understanding would guarantee unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, although the agreement still requires approval by President Donald Trump. Iran would also remove all mines from the strait within 30 days.
The US warned Omani authorities this week against attempts to establish a transit fee system in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening the country with sanctions.
The warnings appeared after reports, among others: New York Times report on negotiations between Iran and Oman — countries on either side of the Strait of Hormuz — to establish a transit fee system for ships passing through the waterway.
