Todays updates from the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab-el-Mandab Strait and all ports & anchorages within the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman......plus is the US ending the Iranian blockade, airfairs across the Middle east on the rise again and the opinion of a much respected Kuwaiti veteran journalist of the whole Iran problem
It seems that maybe the USN blockade might be about to be lifted. Various overnight posts and comments on social media from president Trump give rise to hopes that finally the many thousands of seafarers could start going home. However, with no actual deal ratified by president Trump to bring about peace in the region, it may...as so often the case...be nothing more than bluster...
Listing out his conditions for the ceasefire agreement on social media on Friday, Donald Trump said the U.S. would lift its naval blockade. He did not give a timeline, but said ships caught in the region may start the process of “heading home.”Roughly a quarter of the large oil tankers trapped inside the Persian Gulf at the outbreak of the Iran war have managed to slip out, reports Bloomberg. Based on AIS signals and other data, it believes 29 of the 109 supertankers stuck in the Persian Gulf have either slipped out or gained permission from the Iranians for the transit.
However, traffic through the Strait has continued at a trickle, with even fewer vessels willing to chance a return trip back into the Persian Gulf due to the fears they could become caught. On Friday, the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, and World Trade Organization issued a statement warning of the lasting impact. In addition to a rapid drawdown of the world’s oil reserves, they warned that the continued disruption was having broad impacts on food and other critical supply chains.
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“Ships caught in the Strait due to our amazing and unprecedented naval blockade, which will now be lifted, may start the process of ‘heading home!’ Say HELLO to your wives, husbands, parents, and families…” wrote Trump.
More on this:
Trump Says U.S. Will End Naval Blockade of Iran Maritime Executive - May 29, 2026)
Despite signs of recovery within the Middle Eastern airlines, the cost of jet fuel has risen a stated 121% thus airfares have increased causing an extreme drop in pax numbers. This is making recovery much tougher for ME based airlines across all Gulf States. The UAE has, as of May 2, 2026, lifted all restrictions that had been in place due to the ongoing hostilities.
The biggest threat to your summer travel budget is the skyrocketing cost of operating an aircraft. The disruption to global trade and oil supplies has sent jet fuel prices surging by an eye-watering 121.1 per cent year-on-year in April, alongside a 77.7 per cent increase in crude oil prices, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) April passenger and cargo performance reports.
The massive spike in operational costs is being passed directly onto the consumer.
Willie Walsh, the Director General of IATA, said, “The cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing airfares up. Forward schedule data is showing a reduced offering in the coming months, indicating that airlines are balancing high fuel costs and weaker demand".
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Middle Eastern airlines experienced a 46.6 per cent year-on-year drop in passenger demand in April 2026. This collapse in the Middle East also dragged the entire global passenger market down into a 3.4 per cent contraction.
However, there seems to be a silver lining. The numbers also mark a noticeable improvement from March, when Middle Eastern carriers suffered a devastating 59.2 per cent year-on-year crash in overall traffic.
Excluding the Middle East, global air travel demand remained resilient in April, led by Latin America (+8.9 per cent) and Asia-Pacific (+3 per cent), while Europe posted modest growth of 0.9 per cent and North America was flat.
Asia-Pacific airlines recorded a record April load factor of 87.5 per cent, although traffic between Japan and China slowed due to political tensions. European carriers benefited from a 15.3 per cent rise in direct Europe-Asia traffic as travellers avoided Middle East transit routes. African carriers reported a 2.2 per cent increase in demand.
More on this :
Airfares to rise again as US-Israel-Iran war pushes jet fuel prices up 121% (Gulf News - May 29, 2026)
One of Kuwait's most respected media columnists, Ahmed Al Jarallah, gives a look at how the Kuwaiti's see the "Iranian problem". The many cultural misunderstandings and the stubborn refusal to negotiate and the fears of the Kuwaiti and other Gulf State citizens as the region's troubled child and the west's tensions collide.....
Text courtesy of the Arab Times Kuwait (printed May 25, 2026)
The Iranian devil is in the details
Onto the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandab Strait........the Strait of Hormuz is completely clear of shipping that are using their AIS transponders....that is not to say that there may be ships sailing dark. At time of writing there are no reports of incidents.
The Bab-el-Mandab Strait is running freely and very busy this morning, again now reported issues
Onto the Persian Gulf from Umm Qasr to Doha.......once again there is a very visible push to get ships further away from the Strait of Hormuz. Several ships that had gone dark have reactivated AIS and there is some movement but as has been the case for weeks, the Iranian herders are there, still milling around the ships. It also should be said that the weather is also causing problems in the region as a whole with daytime temps climbing well over 49 / 120 degrees. The seafarers who have already run short of drinking water and food aboard the ships will, inevitably be suffering further hardships.
The ports and anchorages from Mina Saqr to Jebel Ali and Das Island are busier today with more ships activating their AIS transponders. Again the temperatures are becoming an issue in regard to the health and welfare of the seafarers. Local support boats consisting of tugs and pleasure craft are visiting the ships, likely to be supplying essentials to them. Not many Iranian herders so far today in the area
On the Gulf of Oman from Dibba to Muscat, the ports of Dibba, Khor Fakkan and Fujairah are looking quiet this morning, very little movement of ships into or out of those ports. There is a strange looking ring of ships off Dibba but otherwise the other anchorages seem reasonably normal, if a little lighter than of late. Again there will be ships that are dark on AIS. The Iranian herders are out and about still in the area.
Once again there are no updates available regarding the remaining injured crew from CMA CGM San Antonio that was attacked 3 weeks ago during the ill-fated Project Freedom.
Thats it for today....more tomorrow.