Eight Shipping Groups Warn Hormuz Toll Would Rewrite Maritime Law and Inflate Global Energy Costs

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Eight major shipping associations have written to the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization in an open letter dated August 3, 2026, urging them to reject any proposed compulsory transit charges through the Strait of Hormuz. The signatories warn that such fees would undermine the legal framework governing international straits, set a dangerous global precedent, and drive up energy prices worldwide.

The letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, comes as Iran continues to restrict and monetise passage through the chokepoint that handles roughly one fifth of global oil and gas supply. The eight groups — the Asian Shipowners’ Association, BIMCO, Cruise Lines International Association, European Shipowners, the International Chamber of Shipping, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO, and the World Shipping Council — argue that introducing compulsory charges, or service fees that function as tolls, would represent a significant departure from established international practice.

The industry intervention follows a clear statement from Dominguez on July 23, 2026, in which he said there is no mechanism within international law that allows countries to charge ships wishing to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The IMO had earlier rejected a US plan for a 20 percent levy on vessel cargo transiting the strait, ruling that such a measure would violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and customary international law. The shipping groups now want that position reinforced at the highest diplomatic level before any fee structure becomes entrenched.

The urgency behind the letter stems from conditions on the water. Since US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, Tehran has effectively restricted shipping through its territorial waters and established what analysts call the “Tehran toll booth.” Vessels must seek Iranian approval, use designated lanes, and in some cases pay tolls running into the low millions of dollars per transit.

By early May 2026, Iran had created the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to coordinate ship movements and launched a new insurance scheme called “Hormuz Safe,” which functions as either an additional fee or a rebranded transit toll. The system reportedly applies different rules to different flags: friendly states such as Russia and China receive favourable treatment, while others negotiate bilaterally or face the highest charges. Private deals for specific ships have reportedly reached up to $150,000 per transit.

The situation remains fluid on the diplomatic front. Senior US and Chinese officials confirmed in May 2026 that no country or organisation should be allowed to charge tolls for passage through international waterways like Hormuz, a rare point of convergence between the two powers. Oman has floated a voluntary maritime fund concept where shipping companies would pay service fees for strait management, environmental protection, and rescue operations, but Tehran reportedly insists on controlling traffic and collecting transit fees directly.

A report from August 4, 2026, suggests Europe could foot the bill under a new proposal to reopen Hormuz, with fees funding navigation management and environmental protection. The shipping groups’ letter makes clear that any compulsory charge, regardless of who pays it or what it is called, crosses a red line.

The core fear among shipowners is contagion. If Hormuz becomes a toll road, the model could spread to the Strait of Malacca, Bab el Mandeb, and other critical waterways. Many voyages would be charged multiple times, fundamentally reshaping global trade economics and forcing additional costs through international supply chains. The IMO evacuation plan for stranded seafarers remains paused as of early August, with 136 vessels and an estimated 6,000 seafarers already evacuated from the Persian Gulf since late June.