The Iranian parliament is working on a draft bill that would impose a fee on vessels seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Citing an unnamed lawmaker, Fars said the plan would be finalized next week, and would legally recognize Iran’s oversight of Hormuz, a vital conduit that connects some of the world’s largest oil and gas producers in the Arabian Gulf with the wider world.
Tehran’s legislation would formalize a unilateral arrangement already widely reported by the shipping industry, with payments of as much as $2 million being sought from vessels as an informal toll. Crews have been asked through intermediaries for staff, cargo and voyage details and in some cases for a fee, though efforts have not been systematic.
Read more in an article from Gulf News.