The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN's global shipping regulator, estimated on Friday that there are approximately 80 mines within the traditional shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that fully restoring normal oil transit through the strait remains a significant challenge.

The war involving Iran has led to the establishment of two alternative shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz: one closely following the Omani coast, coordinated by the United States, and another controlled by Tehran, situated closer to the Iranian side. This situation arose because the central lane, known as the traffic separation scheme area, is believed to be seeded with explosive devices such as mines.

For ship owners and crews responsible for transporting Middle Eastern oil, gas, and other cargo to global markets, the presence of these explosives is among their primary concerns.

Since a provisional peace agreement was reached between the US and Iran last week, the shipping industry has been urging governments to reopen the traditional lane. However, achieving this requires the clearance of these explosive devices. It is widely anticipated that this clearance process will take several weeks.

Under the terms of the agreement, Iran is expected to be responsible for clearing these mines, although it is currently unclear what progress has been made. Conversely, Tehran's stance has been inconsistent, at times stating that vessels are currently free to pass, and at other times asserting that passage requires its authorization.