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Last week, the United States and Iran signed a framework agreement his goal is to end the US-Israel war on Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Travel through the road, the world’s power chokepoint, has picked up since then, but experts said it will take time for train traffic to return to the levels seen before the war on February 28. Shipping and insurance companies warned that the road is still very dangerous, especially because of the fear of sea mines.
The warnings follow threats made at the start of the conflict by Iran, which it said has a variety of naval mines to stop ships from passing through the waterway. Although Iran has threatened to send cruise missiles, it has not said whether its forces actually planted them. Tehran has used the strait as a leverage in negotiations with the US as its closure has sparked a global energy crisis.
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Under the deal, Iran must remove any mines within 30 days as part of reopening the route. France and the United Kingdom are leading the crackdown, supported by allies including Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.
What are the different types of sea mines?
Sea bombs are underwater explosives designed to destroy or sink ships.
They are cheap to make but expensive to acquire and remove. These are some of the most effective tools for disrupting the movement of ships and naval operations.
Fewer mines can force ships to sail, raise insurance costs and close flooded roads.
Marine bombs come in a variety of styles, including:
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These mines are located under the sea, usually in shallow coastal waters, rivers or shipping channels.
They detect the magnetic signal, tone or strength of the carrier. When the ship passes overhead, the mine explodes beneath it, creating a powerful blast of gas that can destroy the ship.
Landmines can be difficult to find and track because they can resemble rocks, debris or other marine material.
You have burned mine
A block mine is attached to the bottom of the ocean with a cable and floats on the bottom.
These are the “spiked” naval mines so prominent in wartime photographs. They explode when a ship connects with or passes through proximity sensors.
Because they float in the water instead of resting on the bottom of the ocean, they can threaten ships when they are difficult to see from above.
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A floating mine is not built under the sea and moves with the currents and tides, which makes it an unpredictable mine because its location is constantly changing.
A mine placed in one location can travel long distances, threatening merchant ships far from the original conflict location.
Maritime officials have repeatedly warned of the dangers of mines floating in the Strait of Hormuz because they can be swept away in shipping lanes.
My limpet
A limpet mine is a small device attached to a ship’s hull.
Limpet mines use magnets or fasteners to stick to the vessel. They often have a timer, which allows their attackers to leave the scene before they are detonated.
How are sea mines found and removed?
The process of demining, known as mine countermeasures (MCM), is a slow and very dangerous operation that usually involves finding any weapons and destroying them in place or sweeping areas where they are suspected of triggering or cutting them off.
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Ships deploy underwater drones equipped with sonar and remote sensing vehicles to survey the ocean floor. Modern systems can cover large areas while sending sonar data and images back to the operator.
The Reuters news agency reported that the US military and its allies are increasingly relying on underwater drones, robots and helicopters equipped with mine-hunting sensors.
When a target is found, the operator must determine if it is a mine. The ocean floor contains many natural resources, including rocks, discarded weapons, wreckage and debris that can resemble explosives on sonar images.
Once a mine is identified, it can be reduced by controlled detonation, blocked by a variety of speeding or remote controlled vehicles, or triggered by a cut and sweep.
Sweeping mines
Minesweeping uses towed equipment to clear suspected mined fields without finding any weapons. Machine sweepers pull the cutter cables that hook the anchor chain of the fixed mine, freeing it to climb to the surface where it can be destroyed.
Some machines pull weapons that pick up the ship’s signature, tricking the mines into detonating prematurely.
Why does demining take so long?
Finding a sea mine is difficult. Proving that there are no more mines is very difficult.
That is why sea mines remain one of the most powerful tools for disrupting maritime trade. It can be sent in hours but may take weeks, months or longer to be removed.
Unlike missiles, which hit instantly, mines force ships to think that the open sea is an imminent attack.
A single confirmed mine could shut down the shipping channel, halting difficult trade. Even rumors of mining can raise insurance rates and deter motorists from entering the area.
Modern cruise ships and cargo ships can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and their insurance premiums can be even higher.
Reuters reported that demining operations in the Strait of Hormuz could continue for several weeks after reopening because each shipping lane must be inspected repeatedly by insurers and shipping companies to ensure it is safe.
