Iran tolls to transit Strait of Hormuz could set precedent for chokepoints: panel

If Iran collects tolls on vessels for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz amid the US/Israel-Iran war, countries or groups with the potential to control other critical energy chokepoints could consider similar moves, panelists at a shipowners forum in Houston said May 5.

Michael Kaye, US lead of law firm Squire Patton Boggs' commodities and shipping group, said his firm had advised its clients not to pay such tolls.

Risks are high when it comes to paying a toll, he said at the Tradewinds Shipowners Forum USA 2026, with potentially questionable payment mechanisms, such as the use of non-US currencies or cryptocurrency.

Dorothea Ioannou, CEO of the American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, added that her organization has heard talk of tolls potentially paid in cash.

"You can't prove you did due diligence," she said.

The imposition of such tolls could set a precedent that could spill over to any shipping chokepoint, Jean-Paul Rodrigue, a professor of maritime business administration at Texas A&M University, said. Houthi rebels, for example, could demand tolls for safe passage through the Red Sea, where their attacks in 2023 prompted ships to opt for a longer route around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, he said.

If tolls become the norm for the Strait of Hormuz, others could consider similarly monetizing transits through other chokepoints, Rodrigue said.

The US Treasury Department on May 1 issued an alert that said paying Iran a toll for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz poses sanctions risks regardless of payment method. Iranian demands may include payment options such as fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or charitable donations, the alert said.

Treasury also warned maritime service providers to enhance due diligence on any vessels attempting to transit the Strait to ensure they have not engaged in any sanctionable conduct involving Iran, including the payment of safe passage fees.