The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage between Iran and Oman that about a fifth of the world's oil passes through.
This fee would compensate the United States for its role in maintaining security in the region. This comes after a temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, signed in June, appears to be unraveling following three straight days of hostilities.
Shipping traffic has already fallen. A 20% fee could make that worse.
For a Very Large Crude Carrier - a massive oil tanker - the added cost would be about $27 million per trip, based on average Dubai crude prices of $89 per barrel from March to June. That is real money for shipping companies already dealing with geopolitical risk.
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The shipping industry did not hold back.
Hapag-Lloyd, a major global carrier, said charging tolls in international waters is "fundamentally wrong." The company pointed out that tolls for places like the Suez Canal make sense because those are major infrastructure investments. The Strait of Hormuz is just open water.
Jakob P. Larsen, chief safety and security officer at BIMCO, the world's largest shipping association, said the fee is a "further disincentive to transiting the Strait." He added, "only a big reduction in the threat from Iran could outweigh that cost."
The European Community Shipowners' Association, or ECSA, went even further. Secretary-general Sotiris Raptis called freedom of navigation a "cornerstone of the law of the sea" and said, "there is no legal basis to levy tolls on ships passing through." He stressed that seafarer safety must come first.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took to social media to mock the plan, saying "20% is of course too much. We will be fair" - implying Iran would charge a lower fee. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously rejected Iranian toll plans, saying "all nations should reject outright any efforts by Iran to disrupt the free flow of commerce."
The Strait of Hormuz has long been a flashpoint for geopolitical tensions, with Iran frequently threatening to block the waterway. The proposed fee comes as the region experiences renewed volatility, with the June ceasefire now under strain. Any disruption to shipping could have severe consequences for global oil prices and supply chains.
The cease-fire's fragility adds another layer of uncertainty. After three consecutive days of renewed skirmishes between U.S. and Iranian forces, the June agreement that had briefly lowered tensions now appears at risk of total collapse, further endangering the roughly 17 million barrels of oil that traverse the strait daily.
The White House has not responded to a request for comment on the industry criticism.
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