US-led taskforce tells ships to reroute in new effort to reopen Strait of Hormuz

The centre warned that passing close to the usual routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, “should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated"

Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz (Fatima Shbair/AP)

The US has launched an effort to “guide” stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, as it tries to counter economic disruptions which have outlasted the peak of fighting with no peace deal in sight.

A day after US President Donald Trump announced what he called Project Freedom, the Joint Maritime Information Centre said the US had set up an “enhanced security area” south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities “due to anticipated high traffic volume”. The strait lies between Iranian and Omani territory.