Iran imposes 48-hour notice rule for Strait of Hormuz passage

Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority on Friday said vessels must submit passage applications at least 48 hours before entering the Strait of Hormuz, adding a bureaucratic layer to the waterway's reopening after a 110-day closure that triggered a historic energy crisis.

"The main central route is still closed and has an estimated 80 mines that need to be cleared," said Phillip Belcher, marine director at Intertanko, a trade group for global independent tanker owners. "This is like a highway where the road in the middle is closed and you're using the hard shoulder."

The northern route through Iranian waters and the southern route through Omani waters are now open, Belcher said. Maritime data firm Kpler tracked six verified ship crossings Wednesday and another 11 on Thursday, while Lloyd's List Intelligence reported tankers controlled by Grimaldi Group, Cosco, Knutsen and NYK had passed through. An Italian merchant ship owned by Grimaldi was among the first to transit after the agreement, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.

The strait handled about 21 percent of global oil trade before the conflict. Lloyd's List estimates 550 merchant ships — including 160 tankers, 200 bulk carriers and 60 container ships — will need to exit the Persian Gulf, a process that could take weeks or months given the new clearance requirements and limited capacity on the two open routes.

The 48-hour notice mandate, announced by Iran's Supreme National Security Council under the newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority, applies to all vessels seeking passage within the announced time frames. Ships that comply with the requirements will be granted passage, state media reported. The authority also said mine clearance operations would proceed under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed by Tehran and Washington.

The U.S. military has lifted its blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, U.S. Central Command said Thursday, though American naval ships remain in the general area. Vice President JD Vance confirmed the blockade was lifted to allow some ships through Iranian ports.

Oil markets face renewed uncertainty

Brent crude has been volatile since the interim agreement was signed, with traders pricing in both the supply relief from reopening and the risk of further disruptions. The 48-hour pre-clearance rule introduces operational friction that could keep some shipowners from committing to transit until the system proves reliable. Before the war, the strait carried about 17 million barrels of crude per day, or roughly a fifth of global consumption.

The last time a major chokepoint faced a comparable disruption — the 2019 attacks on Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq and Khurais facilities — oil prices spiked 15 percent in a single session before retreating as supply came back online. The current reopening is more gradual, with Intertanko warning it will take weeks or months to fully clear the central passage.

Iran has also signaled it will charge fees for passage under the new framework, according to reports, adding a cost layer that was not present before the conflict. The fee structure has not been disclosed.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.