Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to resume only gradually following a U.S.-Iran agreement, according to warnings from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), one of the world’s largest tanker operators. MOL’s chief executive, Jotaro Tamura, tells outlets that many fleet owners are likely to wait before restarting crossings, citing the need to rebuild confidence after the period of heightened risk and disruption. Multiple reports say Tamura estimates it will take “weeks” for traffic to return, with some characterizations placing the timeline at at least a couple of weeks or up to about a month to reach pre-war levels.
The reporting notes that the agreement’s operational impact may vary across shipping firms and routes, and could influence shipping rates for very large tankers transiting between the Middle East and the Atlantic. Coverage also references broader policy discussions around how quickly and under what conditions the strait might reopen, including U.S. expectations that long-term passage would be “toll free.” International maritime bodies and observers characterize the deal as a positive step, while industry leaders emphasize that normalization of traffic is unlikely to be immediate.
