According to the IMO, how many mines are estimated to be in the Strait of Hormuz’s normal ship channel, and why is this significant?

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimated that there are 'about 80 mines in its historic shipping lanes' — specifically the Traffic Separation Scheme, the strait’s central and most heavily used corridor. This figure is significant because it directly explains 'how difficult it will be to return the key oil channel to normal', as mine clearance is essential before safe, routine transit can resume. The presence of these explosives has become 'among the top concerns for wary shipowners and their crews', disrupting the export of Middle East oil, gas, and other cargoes — a critical function given that the Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of global oil trade. Because Iran is 'supposed to take responsibility for removing the mines' under the interim US-Iran peace deal but progress remains unclear, and because the clearance process is 'widely expected to take weeks', the 80-mine estimate underscores both the scale of the hazard and the prolonged operational uncertainty facing global energy supply chains.

What are the two alternative shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, who controls them, and what risks do they pose?

The two alternative shipping channels are: one 'that hugs Oman’s coast and is coordinated by the US', and a 'separate Tehran-controlled one that veers closer to Iran'. These routes were created because 'explosives are thought to have been deployed in the middle corridor', rendering the main Traffic Separation Scheme unsafe. However, both alternatives carry serious risks: the Omani route saw 'one vessel [come] under attack on Thursday', prompting other ships to perform U-turns instead of transiting, which in turn led the IMO to cancel a planned evacuation of freighters stuck inside the Persian Gulf; meanwhile, the Iranian-controlled route is explicitly labeled by Intertanko — the top tanker owners’ trade group — as 'a cause for concern', with its marine director noting 'issues and ambiguities that need to be addressed in any follow-up measures to ensure safe navigation'. Additionally, while the US Navy has claimed the southern (Omani) route is free of mines, Pakistan — responsible for navigational warnings in the area — recently reported detecting 'a mine near Oman', highlighting conflicting assessments and ongoing navigational uncertainty.

IMO Estimates 80 Mines in Hormuz’s Normal Ship Channel

Jun 26, 2026

The IMO estimates 80 mines block the main shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz, hindering oil and gas transit restoration despite recent peace deals boosting exports to 80% of pre-war levels. Industry groups urge caution amid lingering safety risks.

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IMO Estimates 80 Mines in Hormuz’s Normal Ship Channel

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