The United States has reported that approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil moved through the Strait of Hormuz within the past 24 hours, carried by 72 vessels, according to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Speaking on Wednesday, Wright said Washington remains confident in maintaining uninterrupted oil flows through the strategic waterway even in the absence of a formal agreement with Iran, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
“We have normal flows today,” he said, adding that the current volume is comparable to recent levels following a preliminary US-Iran arrangement aimed at ending hostilities.
Wright also asserted that Iran would not be able to close the Strait of Hormuz in the future, describing it as a key leverage point that Washington has effectively neutralised.
“Iran will not have the capability to close the Strait of Hormuz going forward. That is the key advantage they had, and we are taking that influence away from them,” he said, adding that Iranian military capabilities had diminished.
He noted that although vessel traffic remains slightly below normal levels, larger ships are now transporting higher volumes, helping overall crude flows remain close to pre-conflict levels.
Many vessels are reportedly avoiding main shipping lanes due to risks linked to mines, instead sailing closer to Iran’s coastline or along southern routes near Oman under naval escort.
Wright said full normalisation of shipping could still take several weeks, as clearance of maritime mines in the area is still required.
Despite the disruptions, tanker movements across the strait have shown signs of recovery following a temporary US-Iran peace agreement, easing earlier fears of major supply disruptions from the Gulf region.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, with crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports from Gulf producers passing through the narrow passage daily.
Market data indicates that commercial and energy-related shipping activity is gradually stabilising, while oil prices have eased this week as geopolitical risk premiums decline alongside improved maritime traffic.
