Iran has begun allowing select African-linked tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S. ceasefire, while simultaneously blocking others and proposing controversial new transit tolls.
Following a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, African-linked vessels have become the first non-Iranian ships to cautiously navigate the Strait of Hormuz. Ship-tracking data confirmed that the Gabon-flagged tanker *MSG* and the Liberia-flagged *Daytona Beach* successfully transited the chokepoint under Iranian coordination. However, the recovery of maritime traffic remains slow, with only a handful of the usual 100 daily vessels passing through, leaving over 600 ships currently stranded in the Persian Gulf.
The reopening has been selective, as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard reportedly turned away a Botswana-flagged LNG tanker, the *Nidi*, forcing it to reverse course. Iranian Ambassador Mansour Shakib Mehr clarified that while vessels linked to the U.S. and Israel remain restricted, “special arrangements” are being extended to nations like South Africa, China, and India. Despite these allowances, Iran is reportedly considering formalizing its control by imposing hefty tolls on container ships and requiring levies paid in cryptocurrency for oil shipments.
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned Iran against charging fees for transit through the international waterway. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have accused Washington of failing to uphold its ceasefire commitments, citing ongoing regional conflicts. While major producers like Nigeria and Angola have cushioned some supply disruptions for the African continent, the continued volatility in the Strait which carries 20% of the world’s crude leaves global markets exposed to significant price spikes and rising shipping costs.
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