Over the past two days, at least eight vessels attempted to exit the Strait of Hormuz via an alternative route closer to the Omani coast but were forced to turn back.
According to sea-news.az citing Bloomberg, some of the vessels turned back as soon as they reached the Ras Musandam region, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz. One oil tanker, two vessels carrying oil products, and a container ship subsequently headed north and continued their passage along the route designated by Iran.
The reasons for the vessels’ return have not been disclosed. However, according to media reports, Tehran has repeatedly stated that it will only permit vessels to navigate along routes it has defined.
Since June 29, an average of 34 raw-material-carrying vessels have exited the Strait of Hormuz daily. While this figure is significantly higher compared to most of the conflict period, it remains below the levels recorded before the tensions began.
