U.S. May Be Preparing for a Prolonged Strait of Hormuz Conflict... Ship Escorts Cut to Twice a Day

[Financial News] The United States will reduce escort missions for merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping to twice a day. The move is seen as an effort to cut costs as Iran’s campaign against merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to continue for an extended period.
According to the Financial Times (FT) of the United Kingdom on the 12th local time, an email sent by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) to maritime advisers said that, since early this month, the transit windows authorized by the U.S. military for the Strait of Hormuz had been limited to two designated time slots per day.
NCAGS said in the email, "We are currently providing recommended transit times that vary by date. Vessels are not required to transit during these time slots, but we recommend using them to receive the best possible support."
Since May, the United States has provided aerial defense support to vessels sailing along Oman’s coast south of the Strait of Hormuz. Before transiting the Strait of Hormuz, shipowners reported their passage to NCAGS and then followed coordinates assigned by the U.S. military, passing through mainly at night under the protection of U.S. military aircraft. However, this aerial protection comes at a substantial cost.
Joshua Tallis, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), said, "The advanced U.S. military aircraft used to escort ships cost between $2,500 and $7,500 per hour to operate." He analyzed that the adjustment to the duration of the U.S. military’s ship escorts was intended to manage the cost of providing continuous, open-ended protection for the route south of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump recently said, "The war with Iran will end very quickly, immediately after the November 3 election, and oil prices will also plunge." Although he had initially promised an end to the war before the U.S. midterm elections, the remark is being interpreted as an implicit acknowledgment that a prolonged conflict is effectively unavoidable.
[email protected] Lee Hwan-joo Reporter