Two commercial vessels successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, marking the first passages through the critical waterway since Iran agreed to reopen it under a fresh ceasefire deal with the United States.
According to maritime tracking service MarineTraffic, the Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth crossed the strait at 08:44 UTC, while the Liberia-flagged Daytona Beach transited earlier at 06:59 UTC after departing from Iran's Bandar Abbas port at 05:28 UTC.
The movements come after the US and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire agreement overnight Tuesday to Wednesday.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that passage through the strait would be permitted during this period "via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces."
The NJ Earth followed an Iranian-approved route near Larak Island, keeping its transponder signal active, a path commonly used by vessels in recent weeks.
Analysts noted it remains unclear whether these transits signal a full reopening or are limited exceptions.
“While we expect more crossings in the coming days, from a risk and compliance perspective this first transit should be read cautiously,” said Ana Subasic, an analyst at MarineTraffic owner Kpler.
Shipping sources indicate that hundreds of vessels, including around 800 stuck in the Gulf, are preparing to move as conditions improve. In peacetime, the Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas.
Iran had severely restricted access to the strait since late February in response to US and Israeli military actions, causing a 95% drop in commercial crossings from March 1 to April 7 compared to normal levels.
This initial resumption offers a tentative sign of de-escalation in a conflict that has disrupted global energy markets for weeks. Further developments are expected in the coming days as talks between the parties continue.
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