Shipping Industry Defies Iranian "Toll" Demands as Ceasefire Fails to Reopen Hormuz

Intertanko and the IMO warn against paying "illegal" tolls to Iran in the Strait of Hormuz as JD Vance leads peace negotiations in Islamabad.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 11, 2026, 8:28 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from BBC News

The Illegal Monetization of International Waters

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and global shipping groups have issued a stern warning against a new Iranian proposal to levy tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Reports indicate that the Iranian government is seeking "transit fees" ranging from $1 to $2 million per ship, or $1 per barrel of oil, sometimes demanding payment in cryptocurrency to circumvent international sanctions. Phillip Belcher of Intertanko, representing over half of the world’s tanker fleet, characterized the demand as a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which guarantees the right of "transit passage" through international straits without interference or taxation by bordering states.

High-Stakes Negotiations in Islamabad

The dispute over transit fees has become a central point of contention in the "Islamabad Talks," where U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, April 11, 2026. This highest-level diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and Iran since 1979 aims to transform a fragile two-week ceasefire into a durable peace. However, the negotiations are already under strain; while President Donald Trump previously suggested a "joint venture" for fees, he has since backtracked, warning Tehran on social media that they "better stop" attempting to charge tankers. Iranian negotiators, led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have countered by demanding the release of frozen Iranian assets as a prerequisite for any further concessions.

A Chokepoint Under De Facto Military Rule

Despite the ceasefire announced on April 7, the Strait of Hormuz remains "effectively closed" to the majority of commercial traffic. Before the conflict began on February 28, 2026, an average of 140 ships transited the strait daily; since the ceasefire, that number has slowed to a trickle of fewer than 15 vessels per day. Phillip Belcher noted that the waterway is currently under the "de facto rule" of the IRGC, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU. Consequently, shipping firms are being advised that paying these tolls could be legally interpreted as funding a terrorist entity, further complicating the already dire logistical crisis.