Oman Rejects Hormuz Passage Fees in Firm IMO Statement

Oman Draws a Clear Line on Hormuz Passage

Oman has issued its firmest statement to date on navigation rights through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Maritime Executive. Speaking at IMO Council Meeting 137 in London on July 9, Oman’s delegation reaffirmed that transit passage through straits used for international shipping is protected under international law, and stated plainly that it does not support any imposition of transit fees on vessels moving through the strait.

The declaration followed a separate statement from the IMO Secretary-General condemning recent “reckless attacks” on merchant ships and seafarers in the area.

Behind the Statement: Oman-Iran Talks

The tougher tone appears to close the door on ambiguity that had built up around months of quiet diplomacy between Muscat and Tehran. Oman had been negotiating with Iran, including direct talks in Muscat on May 24 and June 29, over what are called Navigation Dues — charges for services such as lighthouses, channel marking, traffic control, and emergency response, comparable to fees levied by bodies like Trinity House in UK and Irish waters. Oman was open to discussing these service charges but explicitly rejected any concept of a passage fee.

Iran, by contrast, reportedly pushed for authority over navigation on both sides of the strait, the power to vet transit permissions, and the right to charge vessels for passage. Confusion was compounded, the report notes, by Iran’s habit of publishing its own account of these talks rather than an agreed joint statement.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi had already tried to clarify the Sultanate’s position on July 1, in an interview with French Arabic-language broadcaster Monte Carlo Doualiya. He stressed that any bilateral arrangement with Iran must comply with international law and UNCLOS, that transit fees are prohibited and Oman will not support them, and that discussions with Iran are focused on improving environmental protection, navigational services and emergency response — drawing on models used in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore. He also noted that mine clearance responsibility in the strait lies with Iran under its 14-Point MoU with the United States.

A Harder Line After Attacks in Omani Waters

The shift in tone from Muscat appears directly tied to a string of attacks on vessels within Omani territorial waters, including strikes on Saudi- and Qatari-linked ships that generated significant regional anger. Oman, which had previously tried to stay neutral while coaxing Iran toward consensus, now appears to have lost patience. Qatar seems to have reached a similar conclusion following an attack on the Nakilat-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged LNG carrier Al Rekayyat, which had loaded cargo at Ras Laffan.

Whether Iran responds by returning to negotiations, or whether Oman’s firmer posture accelerates confrontation in the strait, remains an open question, according to the report.

What This Means for Owners and Operators

For ship owners, managers, and charterers with vessels transiting Hormuz, the practical takeaway is that the legal and political ground under transit rights, while reaffirmed by Oman, is still shifting under commercial pressure and physical risk. Distinguishing legitimate navigation service charges from politically motivated passage tolls will matter for contractual and insurance purposes going forward. More immediately, the continued attacks on shipping in Omani waters raise the operational cost of transiting the strait regardless of how the fee dispute resolves — underscoring the value of thorough condition and cargo surveys, careful voyage risk assessment, and up-to-date documentation before ships enter high-risk waters. Owners routing through or near the strait should treat pre-transit inspections and bunker and condition surveys as part of a broader risk-mitigation package, not a routine formality, given the unpredictability highlighted by recent events.

Reviewed by Ibrahim Halil Ceylan, Marine Surveyor at Apeks Marine.