British media report Iran is considering charging European countries under a
plan to reopen and fund maintenance of the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal would
create a voluntary fund financed by Gulf states and some European members of the
International Maritime Organization (IMO). Proposed voluntary fees would pay for
navigation management, environmental protection, search-and-rescue and other
services in the strait, Gulf and European sources say. Oman believes
energy-dependent countries and shipowners would be willing to contribute. Italy,
Belgium and France are among the European states most reliant on Gulf oil and
LNG imports. The UK government says only about 1% of crude refined in the UK in
2025 comes from the Middle East.
