US Navy to Guide Commercial Vessels through Strait of Hormuz

The US Navy will guide any US ships that pass through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran seized control of a Maersk vessel.

The Associated Press reports that the policy has not been formally announced, but is set to become official shortly. It was brought about by the seizure of a ship based in the Marshall Islands by the naval vessels of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The seizure of the Maersk Tigris is the second provocation by Iran in recent days. Before the Tigris was seized, a US shipping vessel was swarmed by Iranian boats before they departed without incident.

The AP says that the US Navy has said they will "accompany" and not "escort" the ships. The difference being that when a ship is escorted, the navy vessel will travel along with it. By accompanying vessels, the navy ships will simply be in the area as the ship passes through the narrow strait. Some of the strait's waters are within Iranian territory.

The US Navy says that it notify US shipping firms of the new policy and maintain radio contact as they transit the strait. The US Navy may occasionally be within visual range of the commercial vessels as well.

The New York Times reports that Iran has justified its seizure of the Tigris by pointing to a dispute over 10 shipping containers that took place in 2005. The containers were sent from Iran to the United Arab Emirates. Maersk contends that the containers were never picked up and that UAE authorities disposed of them after 90 days in accordance with local regulations.

An Iranian court has said that Maersk must pay $3.6 million to settle the dispute.