FILE PHOTO: A formation of Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships USS Devastator (MCM 6), USS Gladiator (MCM 11), USS Sentry (MCM 3), USS Dextrous (MCM 13), the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) and an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter assigned to the “Blackhawks” of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HSM) 15 maneuver in the Arabian Sea, July 6, 2019. Picture taken July 6, 2019. Antonio Gemma Moré/U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS- THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY./File Photo
PARIS, April 17 (Reuters) – European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and France have mine clearance capacity which could help secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin told French TV station TF1 on Friday.
“There are capabilities to provide fully supported escort services – that is to say, in no way offensive, of course – for ships to ensure safe passage through the strait; that is what will be debated today in Paris,” she added.
France and Britain are set to chair on Friday a meeting of around 40 countries aimed at signaling to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Trump Declare Hormuz ‘Open,’ But Route, Mines, and U.S. Blockade Cloud Reality
The Strait typically carries about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows, once conditions allow.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro, editing by Alessandro Parodi)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026.
Read next: Shipping Industry Pushes Back on ‘Open’ Hormuz Narrative as Risks Persist
This article contains reporting from Reuters, published under license.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
The global shipping industry is urging caution after declarations from both Washington and Tehran that the Strait of Hormuz is “open,” warning that conditions on the water remain far from...
The prospect of a multinational mission to secure commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has moved sharply up the diplomatic agenda after European leaders gathered in Paris today, even as Iran and the United States declare the waterway “open” following a ceasefire tied to Lebanon.
Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping following the ceasefire in Lebanon, but the terms of that reopening—and how it interacts with ongoing U.S. enforcement measures—remain...
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
