Project Freedom

Project Freedom is the informal designation for a U.S.-led safety umbrella covering outbound merchant vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz via Omani waters, announced in April 2026 and coordinated through U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). Participation is voluntary and carries no charge.

What Project Freedom is

Project Freedom was formally announced by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in April 2026 as a structured safety arrangement for merchant vessels conducting outbound transits through the Strait of Hormuz. The corridor routes participating vessels through Omani territorial waters on the southern side of the strait, where Omani sovereignty provides a degree of separation from Iranian interdiction vectors operating in Iranian-adjacent waters to the north.

The arrangement was positioned as a response to the deterioration in transit safety following Iran's announcement in March 2026 that it would charge for Hormuz passage — a development reported by Reuters and covered by gCaptain — and the subsequent formalization of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority at pgsa.ir. Project Freedom is coordinated operationally through Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), specifically CTF 152, which holds the maritime security mandate in the Persian Gulf.

There is no fee associated with participation. NAVCENT's public communications have described the arrangement as available to merchant vessels operating under any flag. See NAVCENT's official website for authoritative current guidance.

Who participates

At the coalition level, the arrangement is organized through the Combined Maritime Forces framework, which as of early 2026 comprises approximately 47 partner nations operating under U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. CTF 152 is the task force within CMF responsible for maritime security in the Persian Gulf, while CTF 153 covers the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb.

On the commercial side, participation by named shipping operators has been reported in trade press. gCaptain, Splash247, and The Maritime Executive have covered commercial operators engaging with the umbrella. This page does not independently list individual commercial participants beyond what has been reported in named trade press; operators seeking participation information should contact NAVCENT directly through published channels.

What protection it offers

Based on NAVCENT and CMF public communications, the arrangement involves naval surface presence along the transit corridor, communications coordination between participating merchant vessels and coalition naval units, and awareness monitoring. The U.S. Navy and partner navies maintain an escort posture within the operating area, with participating vessels expected to register their transit and maintain radio contact as specified in coordination instructions.

The arrangement has limits that NAVCENT's own communications acknowledge: participating vessels retain responsibility for their own safety decisions and risk assessments. The umbrella does not guarantee immunity from Iranian state action or from non-state actors operating in the strait. NAVCENT's guidance is that vessels should continue to follow best management practices, coordinate with UKMTO, and make their own operational assessments in consultation with their operators, flag states, P&I clubs, and war-risk underwriters. This is reporting; nothing here constitutes advice to any vessel or operator.

Operational parameters — specifically the routing corridor, communication protocols, and check-in procedures — are issued by NAVCENT through official channels and may change. The authoritative source is NAVCENT, not this page.

How vessels coordinate

Coordination with the Project Freedom umbrella runs through NAVCENT and through UKMTO (UK Maritime Trade Operations), the 24/7 maritime liaison cell based in Dubai that serves as the primary merchant vessel point of contact for coalition naval forces in the region. UKMTO's contact details and vessel registration process are published on the UKMTO website; this page does not reproduce them because UKMTO is the authoritative source and contact details may be updated.

NAVCENT's public affairs office has issued operational guidance notices; vessels and their operators should obtain the current version through official channels rather than relying on third-party summaries.

For a detailed explanation of UKMTO's role, advisory categories, and how to read their communications, see UKMTO explained on this site. For frequently asked questions about transit risk and scam identification, see the FAQ.

Iran's response

Iran's government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) have publicly stated opposition to Project Freedom, characterizing it as an infringement on Iranian sovereignty over the strait. Iranian state media, including PressTV (Iranian state broadcaster), has framed the arrangement as a provocation. This site labels Iranian state media coverage accordingly; inclusion is not endorsement.

On 5 May 2026, the container vessel CMA CGM San Antonio (Malta flag) was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The incident was reported by UKMTO and was covered by CBS News. The identification of the target was attributed to EOS Risk Group's Martin Kelly in reporting at the time. Whether CMA CGM San Antonio was participating in Project Freedom at the time of the incident has not been authoritatively confirmed in public reporting reviewed for this page; the incident is noted here as the most significant kinetic event reported by UKMTO in the period following Project Freedom's announcement.

The IRGCN's posture toward merchant vessels in the strait has been covered by U.S. CENTCOM and by CMF in their public communications. Primary-source statements from those authorities supersede any characterization on this page.

Why this matters for transit decisions

The emergence of Project Freedom represents a structural change in the operating environment for outbound Hormuz transits: a U.S.-led organized naval presence offering coordinated protection to merchant vessels, operating in parallel with — and in opposition to — Iran's claimed authority to charge for and control transit through the strait. Trade press coverage in gCaptain, Splash247, and The Maritime Executive has tracked operator responses to this dual-track environment.

This site reports on the operating environment; it does not advise on transit decisions. Operators, shipowners, charterers, and their insurers should consult their flag states, P&I clubs, war-risk underwriters, and qualified counsel. For factual questions about pgsa.ir and scam identification, see Scam watch, FAQ, and pgsa.ir explained.