A trickle of cargo ships and tankers have made it through the strait of Hormuz since Iranian forces in effect blocked the strait.

Iran clarified this week that ships from “hostile” nations are barred from navigating the strait, but overall maritime traffic remains all but halted, tracking shows. 

A toll and promises of safe passage raise complicated questions for the shipping industry, eager to rescue crews and cargoes stuck in the Persian Gulf.

Constraints have largely kept containerized trade in the region reliant on coastal ports and inland rail and trucking connections.

The U.K. Ministry of Defence has already sent military planners to U.S. Central Command to help find ways to get tankers through the strait.

The process points to Iran’s increasing efforts to assert control over the vital maritime channel.

The disruptions come at a critical time, with publishers ordering print runs in Asia and locking in shipping arrangements.

Eliminating costs created by the Jones Act temporarily represents a drop in the bucket compared to the global market swings created by the war in Iran.

Semiconductors continued to drive South Korea’s overall shipments, supported by sustained investment in artificial intelligence and data centers.

Analysts say Tehran is trying to impose a traffic control system through the strait, permitting safe passage for friendly vessels while leaving others fearful of attack.