Tankers urged not to pay toll to Iran for use of strait

Tankers Urged Not to Pay Iran Toll for Use of Strait

Ship operators are being encouraged to avoid paying Iran for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, following a ceasefire agreement that failed to restore normal shipping traffic. The accord, announced on Tuesday, was meant to reopen the critical waterway but Iran has insisted vessels must seek its approval or risk being “targeted and destroyed,” with the possibility of imposing fees for safe passage.

“We do not believe the payment of tolls is the right way to go about this,” said Phillip Belcher of Intertanko, a coalition representing 190 independent tanker operators and over half of the world’s oil tanker fleet. “We are amazed that this appears to be one of the starting points of negotiations,” he added to the BBC.

US Vice President JD Vance is meeting Iranian representatives in Islamabad, Pakistan, to finalize the ceasefire terms, which now face uncertainty due to ongoing air strikes in Israel and Lebanon, and a stalemate over the vital shipping route. Belcher emphasized that Intertanko continues to advise members not to use the strait as “an attack could take place at any time.”

“We do not believe the Strait is safe until there is a lasting cessation of conflict, where all attacks against ships have halted and where there is some sort of coalition-of-the-willing oversight for ships to go through, where Iran does not have sovereignty of the strait,” Belcher explained. He argued that charging tolls contradicts international laws and the principle of free passage through global waterways.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian military, controls much of the country’s economic activity but is designated as a terrorist group by the US and EU. “The IRGC is a designated terrorist organisation, so the payment of monies to a terrorist organisation should be avoided,” Belcher noted.

Since the war began, Iran has proposed new regulations for traffic through the strait. Some reports suggest Tehran plans to charge up to $2 million per ship, with revenue split between Iran and Oman, the two nations bordering the waterway. Initially, President Trump proposed the US and Iran could charge fees as a “joint venture,” though he later reversed, stating on social media: “There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait. They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now.”

“Countries should respect the already established right to freedom of navigation,” said Arsenio Dominguez, secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation. “International straits, by law, are for everyone’s use, so no toll restrictions should be imposed.”

The conflict has drastically reduced tanker traffic through the strait. Only 15 vessels have navigated it since Tuesday, compared to nearly 140 daily before the war. Over 800 ships are stranded in the Gulf, most carrying cargo. Prolonged blockage could severely affect global oil, gas, and fertilizer supplies, leading to price spikes in fuel, electricity, food, and medicines.

Erik Hanell, CEO of Swedish tanker firm Stena Bulk, stated that the disruption’s end remains unclear. However, his company will not proceed with Strait crossings until safety is guaranteed. “We need safety guarantees,” he said. “I know there are discussions between the US and shipping communities, and maybe Iran as well, but at this stage we have limited information.” Stena has no direct contact with Iranian officials and will not pay tolls “as a standalone company” until official channels confirm the terms.