Oman said it is opening two temporary shipping lanes, one north and one south of the current route in the Strait of Hormuz, and said passage will be free of charge for now. The move is meant, according to the announcement, to let commercial vessels leave the area safely, but Israeli-language reporting says it could also help Oman and Iran reduce traffic through the strait and later force ships to pay fees.
The new maritime corridors were coordinated with the International Maritime Organization after Oman declared the normal traffic separation scheme in the strait no longer safe. That route, adopted by the United Nations in 1968, runs through Omani and Iranian territorial waters and has become increasingly dangerous because of security risks and fears of ship collisions.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping lane, carrying about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas before the fighting began. The report says Iran has pledged to remove many mines laid in the water, but is expected to use the current situation to apply future pressure on vessels.
As part of the evacuation plan, ships will first gather at a designated holding area in international waters and then receive individual instructions on when and how to sail. The current waiver from payment is based on a 60-day interim U.S.-Iran arrangement, and Iranian and Omani representatives have already begun talks on the cost of maritime services and long-term navigation rules.
