Project Freedom Was a Bust. Where Does that Leave the 1,600 Ships Stuck in the Strait of Hormuz?
Only two ships were escorted before shipping lines paused departures as missile attacks and wartime insurance gaps kept about 1,600 vessels stranded.
- On Tuesday, President Donald Trump suspended "Project Freedom," a 48-hour operation to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after escorting only two vessels through the waterway citing diplomatic progress.
- Trump cited diplomatic progress in negotiations with Iran to pause the mission, allowing talks to continue as roughly 1,500 commercial vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf since fighting began in February.
- Shipping giants Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd remained skeptical of military protection, as insurers often exclude coverage for vessels in war zones, complicating transit decisions for stranded cargo and personnel.
- Following the pause, Iran announced the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to regulate passage through new procedures including tolls, though the United States has previously warned Iran lacks authority to control the waterway.
- Thirty-Two ships have been hit with missiles since the war began, resulting in ten deaths and at least a dozen injuries, with the International Maritime Organization warning that naval escorts are not a sustainable long-term solution.
18 Articles
18 Articles
The safety of approximately 1,600 ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz has once again become uncertain after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would halt "Project Freedom," which he had launched the previous day to help ships from various countries escape, just one day later.
For tens of thousands of sailors aboard some 1,600 ships trapped in the Strait of Ormuz, the Project Freedom was all but that.
The CS Anthem tanker became the second to successfully transit the Strait of Hormuz with a US escort, the US company Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions confirmed on Wednesday.
Iran Wants to Make Sure it Can ‘Close’ the Strait of Hormuz Anytime It Wants
“Project Freedom” lasted 48 hours. The U.S. military launched escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz on May 5, sank six Iranian small boats, and guided two American-flagged merchant ships through the corridor. By Tuesday evening, President Trump had suspended the operation — citing diplomatic progress, deferring to Pakistan, announcing a pause to let negotiations breathe. Secretary Rubio declared the combat operation against Iran over on…
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