PRESIDENT Trump has suggested the US will charge vessels for transiting the Strait of Hormuz in order to be “reimbursed” for guarding the waterway.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, President Trump said the waterway is “OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran”.

“We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”

Yet those other nations will, according to Trump, have to pay for that “fair and open use of the strait”.

He said the US would be “reimbursed” for protecting the strait “at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the world”.

Transits through the Strait of Hormuz have slowed in a week where tensions in the region ratcheted up again following a period of relative calm.

A total of 89 cargo-carrying vessels over 10,000 dwt with no Iranian affiliation transited the strait between July 6 and July 12, compared to 158 the week before, and 218 between June 22 and June 28. Those figures represented a relative high point in transit volume since the conflict began at the end of February, after the US and Iran signed a deal that caused many to herald the reopening of the strait.

Those calls were seemingly premature and that peace deal appears to be in tatters, after the US and Iran traded attacks over the weekend.

Iran began by attacking three state-owned vessels last week from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE on July 6.

The US resumed strikes on Iran on July 7, which have continued almost every day since.

At 2240 hrs UTC on July 11, the UAE-owned containership GFS Galaxy (IMO: 9401271) was struck by an unidentified projectile about nine nautical miles east of Oman.

The strike caused an extensive engine room fire on GFS Galaxy, but all crew were reported safe.

The containership was transiting the SOH using the southern route that hugs the Omani coastline.

This route is, in theory, supposed to be protected by US military assets.

But the data suggests confidence in that protection among shipowners is being eroded.

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence data, 29 transits of non-Iranian affiliated vessels, those with no links to Iran via trade or ownership, were via the southern route, compared to 90 the week before and 107 the week before that.

Though it should be said that there are a significant number of “dark” transits (where AIS is disabled), where it is not possible to confirm the route sailed.

Importantly, traffic is still using the Omani route over the past few days, despite claims by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until “US interference” in the region ends.

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body set up by Iran to control Hormuz transits, said passage through the strait is “currently not possible” due to the “unlawful movements of the United States”.

Iran, the US and UAE clashed over this very topic at the International Maritime Organization last week, at a meeting of its council.

Both sides accused the other of using the IMO for political gain, and of impeding the right of freedom of navigation.

The UAE, in a letter submitted to the IMO, said Iran’s requirement for vessels to have a permit to transit the strait was a “clear violation” of international law.

The UAE delegation condemned Iran’s claims of sovereignty over the strait and said Iran had no right to “preclude ships from exercising the right of transit in the Strait of Hormuz” through the traffic separation scheme in another state’s waters, namely Oman.

While the war of words continues, the reality on the water is that vessels are continuing to transit the beleaguered chokepoint, but confidence in the security situation appears to be waning with every day of strikes that passes.