Tankers: A Timeline of a Potential Hormuz Reopening in Hellenic Shipping News 25/05/2026 T he question in many peoples’ lips after a potential end to the war in the Middle East, is how long would it take for a return to normalcy in terms of transiting the Hormuz Strait? In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Gibson said that “the Iran conflict is in its 12th week now, and the prospect for a deal which leads to normalisation in the Middle East look tenuous. Despite seeing some progress in the number of tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, compared to pre-war levels flows of oil and products remain at a trickle, with Iran and the US both vying for control. Numerous conditions would need to be met before pre-war traffic could resume; security guarantees, mine clearance, and a renewed insurance framework, among others. If these conditions are met, and such a comprehensive agreement is reached between Iran and the US (as well as Israel and the GCC), what would the timeline be for a resumption of Middle East Gulf exports?” According to Gibson, “initially, there is likely to be some residual hesitancy in transiting the Strait, and only higher-risk owners might commit. These transits may occur along the tried and tested post-war routes following the Iranian or Omani coastlines, especially if uncertainty remains about the location of possible mines. At the time of writing there are 157 mainstream tankers above 25,000 DWT positioned inside the Middle East Gulf, of which 123 are laden and will attempt to exit swiftly. The over 150 ballasters above 25,000 DWT positioned in the Gulf of Oman are promptly positioned and will be able to sail and get fixed to lift cargoes in short order. Freight rates will initially be high and volatile, coming down as vessels enter the Gulf and the risk and hazards are confirmed to be low. A degree of port congestion may occur at this stage, as port loading schedules are re-established. At this stage, differences in readiness of export infrast