Maritime Chokepoints: Governance of Straits Like Hormuz and Red Sea
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Security
Why in news
Iran has threatened to charge tolls for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and Houthi groups are considering similar fees for the Bab al-Mandab. This has brought global attention to the legal and historical frameworks governing strategic waterways.
Background
The governance of straits has a long history, from the 1493 papal bull dividing the Atlantic between Spain and Portugal to modern international law under UNCLOS. Disputes over maritime rights have persisted for centuries.
Key facts
Iran has launched missile and drone strikes against vessels in the Strait of Hormuz that it says did not take its permission.
Tehran has threatened to restart charging ships for navigation, security, and environmental services in the strait.
Oman, bordering the strait, proposed a plan to manage the strait and collect voluntary fees, backed by other West Asian countries.
A US official said Washington will not allow Tehran to control the strait with tolls, as it is an international waterway.
Iran-backed Houthi groups are considering a toll schedule for ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab.
In 1493, Pope Alexander VI's papal bull inter caetera divided the Atlantic between Spain and Portugal.
The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) shifted the dividing line further west.
The UN notes that countries have argued over waters for as long as ships have sailed.
Prelims pointers
- Strait of Hormuz: connects Persian Gulf with Gulf of Oman
- Bab al-Mandab: connects Red Sea with Gulf of Aden
- UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
- Papal bull inter caetera (1493)
- Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)
Mains angles
- Discuss the legal framework governing international straits under UNCLOS.
- Examine the geopolitical significance of maritime chokepoints like Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.
- Critically analyze the impact of tolls on global trade and regional stability.