Shipping industry figures gave a cautious welcome Friday to Iran's announcement that it was reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz trade route to commercial freight after nearly seven weeks closed.
Iranian forces' closure of the strait has trapped hundreds of ships in the Gulf and driven up the costs of shipping goods, with captains avoiding the region for fear of attacks or mines.
kAmp DA@<6D>2? 7@C v6C>2? EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 8:2?E w2A28\{=@J5[ H9:49 92D D9:AD DEF4< :? E96 vF=7[ E@=5 pu! 3J A9@?6 E92E E96 C6@A6?:?8 H2D Q:? 86?6C2=]]] 8@@5 ?6HDQ]k^Am
kAmqFE 96 42FE:@?65 E92E D9:AA6CD DE:== ?66565 56E2:=D @7 H92E C@FE6 G6DD6=D 4@F=5 E2<6 2?5 :? H92E @C56C[ 4:E:?8 762CD @7 D62 >:?6D]k^Am
kAmQ~?6 E9@FD2?5 D9:AD 42??@E ;FDE 8@ ?@H E@ E96 6?EC2?46 @7 E96 DEC2:E[ E92E H:== 36 492@D] %96J WE96 xC2?:2?DX ?665 E@ 8:G6 4=62C @C56CD[Q D2:5 E96 DA@<6D>2?[ }:=D w2FAE]k^Am
kAmQ(6 H@F=5 36 C625J E@ 8@ G6CJ D@@? :7 D@>6 @7 E96D6 @A6? BF6DE:@?D 42? 36 D@=G65 H:E9:? E96 H66<6?5]Qk^Am
kAmq=@@>36C8 52E2 :?5:42E65 E96C6 H6C6 23@FE ff_ G6DD6=D FD65 7@C 42CCJ:?8 4@>>@5:E:6D D6?5:?8 EC2?DA@?56C D:8?2=D :?D:56 E96 vF=7 @? %9FCD52J[ @7 H9:49 23@FE be_ H6C6 @:= 2?5 82D 42CC:6CD]k^Am
kAmq67@C6 E96 H2C[ 2G6C286 52:=J 4C@DD:?8D @7 E96 DEC2:E @G6C2== ?F>36C65 23@FE `a_[ 244@C5:?8 E@ :?5FDECJ ;@FC?2= {=@J5VD {:DE]k^Am
k9am\ Vx?244FC2E6V \k^9am
kAmp76C xC2?VD 2??@F?46>6?E @? uC:52J[ &$ !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A D2:5 E96 xD=2>:4 C6AF3=:4 925 564=2C65 E96 H2E6CH2J Q7F==J @A6? 2?5 C625J 7@C 7F== A2DD286Q]k^Am
kAmy2<@3 {2CD6?[ 49:67 D64FC:EJ @77:46C @7 >2;@C D9:AA:?8 2DD@4:2E:@? qx|r~[ D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E 6>2:=65 E@ pu! E92E E9:D 4=2:> H2D Q:?244FC2E6Q]k^Am
kAmQ%96 DE2EFD @7 >:?6 E9C62ED :? WxC2?VD >2C:E:>6X EC277:4 D6A2C2E:@? D496>6 :D F?4=62C[ 2?5 qx|r~ 36=:6G6D D9:AA:?8 4@>A2?:6D D9@F=5 4@?D:56C 2G@:5:?8 E96 2C62[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 D64C6E2CJ 86?6C2= @7 =625:?8 :?5FDECJ =@33J E96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= r92>36C @7 $9:AA:?8[ %9@>2D z2K2<@D[ D2:5 E96 2??@F?46>6?E H2D Q2 A@D:E:G6 DE6A W3FEX E96C6 :D DE:== >F49 F?46CE2:?EJ 2C@F?5 H92E :E >62?D :? AC24E:46Q]k^Am
kAmx? 2 DE2E6>6?E D6?E E@ pu![ 96 D2:5 :E @776C65 Q2 42FE:@FD >62DFC6 @7 C62DDFC2?46 E@Q D9:AA6CD 2?5 E96 E9@FD2?5D @7 D6272C6CD DEF4< :? E96 vF=7 3J E96 |:55=6 t2DE H2C 7@C ?62C=J D6G6? H66<D]k^Am
kAmQxE :D 6DD6?E:2= E92E :E >2C<D E96 368:??:?8 @7 2 3C@256C 2?5 >@C6 5FC23=6 C6EFC?[ 36J@?5 E96 4FCC6?E 462D67:C6[ E@ 7C665@> @7 ?2G:82E:@? :? @?6 @7 E96 H@C=5VD >@DE 4C:E:42= >2C:E:>6 4@CC:5@CD[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmC=A^C>3k^Am
