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Suez, Panama canals charge for transit — why can't Hormuz?

Deutsche Welle · 🇩🇪 public Germany · · 889 words · By Nik Martin
International maritime law Geopolitical Conflict (US-Iran) Global Energy Security
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What to know about International maritime law

Deutsche Welle reports: Suez, Panama canals charge for transit — why can't Hormuz?.

Claims checked 19
Techniques found 3
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center86%
Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Deutsche Welle reports: Suez, Panama canals charge for transit — why can't Hormuz?.

Why it matters

May 28, 2026The Iranian regime has been accused of extortion and threats to global energy security after reports emerged that Tehran has begun charging up to $2 million (€1.7 million) per vessel for "safe passage" through the Strait of Hormuz.

Common ground

The strait is the world's most indispensable energy corridor, squeezed between Iran and Oman.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Anger: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dw.com/en/suez-panama-canals-charge-for-transit-why-cant-hormuz/a-77…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Appeal to Anger 70% confidence
Provoking outrage to bypass rational evaluation of an argument.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to anger helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 19 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 9
check_circle Corroborated 7
info Single Source 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
verified Verified 1
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Claim 1: “the Panama Canal Authority, which runs the US-built canal on behalf of Panama, is also permitted to charge fees under separate treaties.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 2: “Canada has similar sovereignty claims over the Northwest Passage, a sea route through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 3: “Under this treaty, Turkey must allow freedom of passage for merchant ships and can only charge limited service fees for navigation aids and lighthouses, not full transit tolls.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 4: “Egypt generates annual revenues of around $4 billion in fees for ships transiting the 193-kilometer (120-mile) Suez shortcut.”
CORROBORATED
Deutsche Welle and a 2025 web search result from April 17 report that the Suez Canal generated annual revenue of $4 billion in 2024.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In 2022, annual revenue stood at $8 billion in transit fees. The Suez Canal set a new record with annual revenue of $9.4 billion in USD for the fiscal ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal_Authority
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Oct 1, 2024 · Public Egypt's Suez Canal Authority announced Wednesday an all-time annual revenue record, earning $8 billion in transit fees in 2022,
https://www.facebook.com/cgtnafrica/posts/egyptian-president…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Apr 17, 2025 · The Suez Canal Authority, which runs the waterway, said the canal generated an annual revenue of $4 billion (€3.5bn) in 2024, down from a ...
https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/04/17/egypts-suez-can…
+ 1 more evidence source
info
Claim 5: “The United States and China agreed on their joint opposition to the levy, Reuters news agency reported earlier this month, citing a US State Department official.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While Deutsche Welle reports joint US-China opposition citing Reuters, other web results show conflicting or separate dynamics (e.g., China warning the US not to interfere), and no second independent source confirms the 'joint agreement' specifically regarding the levy.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On April 12, 2025, Iran and the United States began a series of negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear peace agreement, following a letter from US president Donald Trump to Iranian supreme leader Al…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–2026_Iran–United_States_n…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 13 April 2026, the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iran following the failure of the Islamabad Talks to end the 2026 Iran war. The blockade began 10 a.m. ET and applied only to ships goin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_naval_block…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been at war with Iran and its regional allies. Active hostilities broke out after surprise US–Israeli airstrikes targeting military and govern…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war
+ 4 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 6: “Russia, for example, charges icebreaker escort fees, pilotage and service tariffs on the Northern Sea Route (NRS) along the country's northern coast.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 7: “The government announced that it was drafting a joint protocol with Oman to require ships to obtain permits before transiting the strait.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results report that Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated Iran is drafting a joint protocol with Oman to oversee vessel traffic.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — From 28 February 2026, as part of the 2026 Iran War, Iran began launching a series of drone strikes on sites in Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, initially targeting the Port of Duqm and the Port of Sala…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iranian_strikes_on_Oman
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Hormuz () is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 8: “Before the Iran war, it carried one-fifth of all the oil and gas consumed worldwide.”
CORROBORATED
Deutsche Welle and web search results (Factbox) both state that roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas consumption/exports transit the strait.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been at war with Iran and its regional allies. Active hostilities broke out after surprise US–Israeli airstrikes targeting military and govern…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Hormuz () is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz
+ 4 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 9: “Moscow treats large sections as internal waters or ice-covered areas under UNCLOS Article 234.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 10: “The strait is the world's most indispensable energy corridor, squeezed between Iran and Oman.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and multiple news sources (CNBC, TASS) confirm the Strait of Hormuz is located between Iran and Oman and is a critical energy corridor.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — From 28 February 2026, as part of the 2026 Iran War, Iran began launching a series of drone strikes on sites in Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, initially targeting the Port of Duqm and the Port of Sala…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iranian_strikes_on_Oman
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) is an Iranian government agency responsible for the authorisation and regulation of maritime transit after contacting the authority. It was founded on 5 May 20…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Gulf_Strait_Authority
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Hormuz () is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz
+ 5 more evidence sources
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Claim 11: “Tehran has begun charging up to $2 million (€1.7 million) per vessel for "safe passage" through the Strait of Hormuz.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources, including Deutsche Welle and Krdo, report that Tehran is charging up to $2 million per vessel for safe passage.
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Tehran has begun charging up to $2 million (€1.7 million) per vessel for "safe passage" through the Strait of Hormuz.
https://www.dw.com/en/suez-panama-canals-charge-for-transit-…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — It is reportedly charging up to $2 million per vessel for passage.
https://krdo.com/news/2026/05/07/iran-imposes-new-rules-for-…
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Trump also framed the blockade as preventing Tehran from charging up to $2 million (€1.71 million) per vessel for safe passage through the strait
https://www.dw.com/en/trump-naval-blockade-of-iranian-ports-…
verified
Claim 12: “The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) gives vessels — and aircraft — from all nations the right of so-called transit passage through international straits that connect two parts of the high seas.”
VERIFIED
The claim accurately describes the legal framework of UNCLOS regarding transit passage, supported by legal documents and web search results.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — the provisions of this Convention and other rules of international law, relating to innocent passage through the territorial sea, in respect of all or any of ...
https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This article examines the legal status of straits used for international navigation under international law. The discussion of the legal status.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID2384416_cod…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In 1982, the United Nation's Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sought to protect the international access for nations to sail through straits or canals.
https://mps.blueconomy-il.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/UNC…
+ 1 more evidence source
schedule
Claim 13: “"The Strait is going to be open to everybody; it's international waters," US President Donald Trump told reporters during a White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 14: “The 1888 Constantinople Convention, signed by major powers at the time, explicitly allows the Egyptian government to levy tolls to cover maintenance, operations and upgrades.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm the 1888 Constantinople Convention allows the Egyptian government to levy tolls for maintenance and operations.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — (4) the manner of fixing tolls and charges should be decided by agreement between Egypt and the users;. 11 1086-87. International Lawyer, Vol. 2, No. 1 ...
https://www.jstor.org/stable/40705193
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 6, 2023 · Under the Convention of Constantinople, no formal obligation is imposed on Egypt to grant free passage to enemy shipping. In view of the serious ...
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-15670-0_…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 31, 2026 · The 1888 Constantinople Convention, signed by major ... Egyptian government to levy tolls to cover maintenance, operations and upgrades.
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/325414/suez-panama-canals-…
schedule
Claim 15: “Washington continues to urge shipping companies not to pay the tolls and has warned that firms that do could face secondary US sanctions for doing business with Iran.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 16: “the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank labeled the tolls a maritime "protection racket."”
CORROBORATED
Both Deutsche Welle and multiple ISW special reports from May 2026 explicitly use the term 'protection racket' to describe the tolls.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Twelve-Day War was an armed conflict between Iran and Israel which lasted from 13 to 24 June 2025. It began when Israel bombed military and nuclear facilities in Iran in a surprise attack, assassi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Day_War
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is an American advocacy think tank founded in 2007 by military historian Kimberly Kagan and headquartered in Washington, D.C. ISW has provided analysis of mode…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_the_Study_of_War
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been at war with Iran and its regional allies. Active hostilities broke out after surprise US–Israeli airstrikes targeting military and govern…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war
+ 4 more evidence sources
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Claim 17: “Coastal states can charge only limited service charges, including pilotage and towing.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results specifically state that under UNCLOS, coastal states can only charge limited service charges such as pilotage and towing.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Finally, transit passage does not apply if the strait connects a part of the high seas or EEZ with the territorial sea of a foreign State (see Section 2.2.2).
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/legal-regime-of-straits…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... ... coastal state, the UNCLOS rules state. Coastal states can charge only limited service charges, including pilotage and towing.
https://www.dw.com/en/suez-panama-canals-charge-for-transit-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 31, 2026 ... ... coastal state, the UNCLOS rules state. Coastal states can charge only limited service charges, including pilotage and towing. Why can canal ...
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/325414/suez-panama-canals-…
schedule
Claim 18: “Completed in 1914 to link the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Panama Canal requires huge ongoing maintenance, including constant dredging to combat sedimentation and landslides.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 19: “The Bosporus and Dardanelles, which connect the Black Sea to the Mediterranean through Turkey, are governed by the 1936 Montreux Convention.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.