More than 400 large ships have gathered outside the Strait of Hormuz, observing the situation; the resumption of shipping still depends on a clearer picture of the US-Iran rivalry.

According to Mars Finance, on June 22, shipping and satellite data monitoring showed that despite the US lifting some of its blockade measures and a small number of merchant ships tentatively resuming passage, over 400 large vessels remained gathered outside the Strait of Hormuz, indicating continued uncertainty regarding the passage of this key global oil shipping route. Data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 radar satellite showed that as of approximately 14:15 GMT on Sunday, 441 large vessels, nearly the size of oil tankers, were gathered in the waters near Sohar, Oman, and Fujairah, UAE, a further increase from the initial stages of the conflict in April. Shipping companies stated that the large-scale pre-deployment of the fleet was intended to quickly restore transport capacity once the strait was fully reopened, but actual passage remained highly restricted until negotiations between the US and Iran on a ceasefire and navigation mechanism were finalized. Satellite data showed that traffic in the main channel of the strait was almost at a standstill on Sunday, despite Iran's previous agreement to open the channel and clear mines, followed by a temporary closure of the channel following renewed tensions in the region. Meanwhile, the US and Iran continued negotiations in Switzerland on a de-conflict mechanism and shipping security arrangements. The US stated that key discussions included ensuring the continued openness of the Strait and clarifying related navigational statements. Regarding shipping activity, four Qatari LNG carriers passed through the Strait on Monday, a recent high since the escalation of the conflict in late February. Furthermore, some vessels have restarted their transponders and publicly disclosed their locations, seen as a sign of marginal improvement in market risk expectations. Following the US lifting restrictions on some Iranian ports and vessels last week, Iranian oil tanker activity has also recovered somewhat, but overall shipping remains under high uncertainty and low efficiency.