US claim of a cleared Traffic Separation Scheme
The United States has announced that the internationally recognised shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz are free of Iranian sea mines. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, told an audience in a video posted to X that “over the past few months our forces meticulously and quietly cleared them … using a combination of Navy divers, SEALs and air power from all services.” He added that the effort has enabled more than 1 500 commercial vessels – carrying roughly 750 million barrels of crude oil – to transit the waterway. Marine Insight notes that the mine‑clearance operation covered the main international lane known as the Traffic Separation Scheme.
Recent incident highlights residual danger
Despite the US statements, a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting eastbound through the strait on 25 August. The vessel, identified as AL SALAM II, suffered a small hole above the waterline and a brief fire that the crew extinguished; all personnel were reported safe and no environmental damage was recorded. UK Maritime Trade Operations issued Warning 121‑26 after local authorities reported the hit near Khasab, Oman, at 1730 UTC. The ship later anchored about 0.8 nm north‑west of Jazirat Tawakkul while awaiting tug assistance.
Divergent assessments from allies and US officials
While US leadership maintains that the Traffic Separation Scheme is clear, regional partners remain sceptical. A separate gCaptain report quoted the Joint Maritime Information Centre as saying that drifting or uncharted mines continue to pose risk within the scheme and that mine‑danger areas are still active. The same source added that clearance and surveying operations are ongoing. Further analysis from another publication indicated that allies estimate between 80 and 150 Iranian mines may still be present, a figure US officials have dismissed as outdated.
Impact on vessel movements to date
The United States claims its actions have facilitated the safe passage of over 1 500 ships in recent months, moving an estimated 750 million barrels of crude oil through Hormuz. Ship & Bunker echoed this figure and highlighted that Iranian oil exports have been halted since the reinstated US blockade. Nevertheless, the AL SALAM II incident demonstrates that commercial traffic can still be targeted, and that any remaining mines or hostile projectiles could disrupt the flow of energy supplies.
What this means for operators
Ship owners and charterers should continue to monitor official advisories from both US forces and regional maritime information centres. While the declared clearance of the primary Traffic Separation Scheme may reduce the probability of mine‑related incidents, the recent projectile strike suggests that vessels remain vulnerable to other threats. Operators are advised to maintain heightened watchstanding, consider alternate routing where feasible, and stay prepared for rapid response measures such as tug assistance or fire‑fighting support.
