US says full mine clearance not needed to reopen Hormuz Strait
Photo: An oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz (Getty Images)
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright states that restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz does not require clearing all mines. It is sufficient to clear a single corridor for ships to pass through. According to him, this could happen quickly, Bloomberg reports.
Corridor instead of full demining
Wright makes these remarks on the sidelines of the Three Seas summit in Dubrovnik. He notes that restoring tanker traffic would require only securing a single safe passage, which could realistically be achieved within a short timeframe.
According to the Pentagon, as stated in a closed-door briefing to Congress, fully clearing the strait of mines could take up to six months.
Why this is critical
Iran blocked the most heavily used routes through the Strait of Hormuz after the start of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. The Strait has been closed since late February. It previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas production.
The consequences are significant: massive supply disruptions and a sharp rise in prices for oil, diesel, and gasoline. In the US, the spike in fuel prices is occurring just months before the midterm elections, in which Trump’s Republican Party will be fighting for a majority in Congress.
Shipping companies are still refusing to attempt passage through the strait due to the risk of ship seizures, mines, and a lack of security guarantees.
Pipeline deals for Europe
Separately, Wright announced "historic" pipeline deals as part of Trump’s so-called "Peaceful Pipeline Agenda." These are intended to increase the volume of American oil and gas supplied to Europe.
Ukraine’s experience could help unblock strategic maritime routes by applying knowledge gained as far back as 2022. On April 13, the US announced the start of a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran restricted ship traffic in response to strikes by the US and Israel.
US President Donald Trump stated that violators of the blockade could be destroyed and also reported significant losses to the Iranian navy. According to Axios, Iran has laid new sea mines, while the US is using underwater drones for mine clearance.
Meanwhile, traffic through the strait, which carries about 20% of the world’s oil in peacetime, has dropped to a minimum. Against this backdrop, Germany has begun preparing for a possible deployment in the Strait area. To this end, Berlin plans to pre-position a minesweeper and a support vessel, even at the cost of a partial reduction in its presence in other regions.
