A deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz moves the US and Iran closer to ending a blockade that has stranded roughly 1,500 ships for nearly three months. But getting those vessels moving again will take far longer than the agreement itself. Captains need clear guidance on priority, routes, and clearance from authorities before any tanker passes through the 21-nautical-mile-wide chokepoint.

The strait carried one-fifth of the world's oil and gas before the conflict. Even with a deal, normal throughput of 130 ships daily is weeks or months away. Mine clearance alone demands several weeks of naval effort, keeping maritime insurance rates high. Hapag-Lloyd, the fifth-largest container group, freed one vessel that required heavy cleaning and lost significant speed.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen chief Lasse Kristoffersen says shipping won't return to normal for 30 to 45 days if everything goes smoothly. Kpler analysts project traffic recovers to only 40 to 50 percent of normal within three to four weeks. The real constraint: even after opening, vessels face limited routes, higher war-risk premiums, and longer delays.