Hormuz Strait Traffic Picks Up, UN Calls for Open Access Amid US–Iran Talks

Trump said a planned U.S. strike on Iran has been halted while negotiations continue.

An Iranian tugboat is in the foreground as cargo ships sit at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on May 4, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP

At least 54 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz during the week ending May 18, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence data, as U.S.–Iran talks continue and U.N. officials call for unrestricted access to the waterway.

The figure compares to 25 vessels in the week preceding May 11, Lloyd’s List Intelligence said in a May 19 post on X. The shipping analytics company said the traffic increase included 10 China-owned vessels after Iran signaled it would allow some Chinese ships to pass through the strait.