Iran developing a ‘vetting system’ for Strait of Hormuz transit: Report

Lloyd’s List reports that ships could be allowed to pass through ‘safe corridor’ once they are approved by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.Iran is developing a new vetting and registration system for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz as it transitions to a “selective” blockade of the strategic waterway, according to Lloyd’s List.The maritime news and analysis service reported this week that several countries including India, Pakistan, Iraq, Malaysia and China, are in direct talks with Tehran to transit through its territorial waters in the Strait.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Three charged in the US with smuggling AI chips into Chinalist 2 of 4‘It helps us survive’: Poverty forces children into mine work in DR Congolist 3 of 4Ukraine sends advisers to Gulf as it counterattacks Russian forces in southlist 4 of 4Long before Trump: How US policy has harmed the environment for decadesend of listShips have been approved on a case by case basis, but a new vetting and registration system is reportedly under development by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Lloyd’s said.“Ships hoping to use the pre-approved route are expected to have communicated extensive details regarding both the ownership of the vessel and destination of the cargo to the IRGC in advance of the transit. Those details are being communicated via a series of Iran-affiliated individuals operating outside of Iran,” Lloyd’s reported on Wednesday.This week, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Strait was “open, but closed to our enemies,” signalling a de-escalation from earlier remarks by the IRGC that any ship trying to transit the waterway would be set ablaze.Traffic through the Strait has plunged 95 percent since the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran three weeks ago, with major repercussions for global energy markets. About one-fifth of the world’s oil transits through the Strait, which connects the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.Maritime data indicates that a small number of ships have managed to transit the Strait since the blockade began – mainly flagged to Pakistan, India or China – although numbers slowed more recently due to an increased risk of attack. Some ships have resorted to turning off their automatic identification system (AIS) while others have broadcast their Chinese credentials to Iranian authorities, according to media reports.