Oman tells Europe ships may face fees for Strait of Hormuz

Investing.com -- Oman has informed European officials that returning to pre-war conditions at the Strait of Hormuz is not possible and that ships passing through the waterway may face charges, according to a report Friday from Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Omani officials stated they will comply with international maritime law but indicated potential fees for services such as de-pollution efforts in the strait or navigation assistance, the sources said. Whether all such fees would be mandatory remains unclear.

The sultanate is studying systems used at other global shipping chokepoints, including the Malacca strait in Asia, where no mandatory shipping charges exist, the people said.

The US, Europe and Oman’s Gulf Arab neighbors are growing concerned that Oman may establish a tolling or fee system with Iran for the Strait of Hormuz.

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with Oman’s leader, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, in Paris on Monday to discuss maritime security. The two leaders will "address the security of maritime routes, which depends on free and unconditional passage through the Strait of Hormuz," according to Macron’s office.

Oman’s foreign ministry and its embassy in France did not respond to requests for comment on Friday.

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