Turkey is in contact with the crews of 14 Turkish-owned ships still near the Strait of Hormuz, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said on Wednesday, as shipping through the strategic waterway remains disrupted.

Speaking to reporters before the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, Uraloğlu said three of the ships have not requested to leave because they are there for specific operations. He said there was no humanitarian problem involving the crews.

Uraloğlu said Turkish authorities were in constant contact with the personnel and captains on board the vessels and were closely monitoring the situation. He said there had not yet been an opportunity to bring the remaining ships out.

The minister’s latest remarks clarified that not all Turkish-owned ships in the area are seeking passage. There had been 15 Turkish-owned ships near the strait, but one had already been able to leave after coordination by Turkish authorities.

The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s main energy shipping routes, and disruptions there have raised concerns about trade and energy markets since the fighting in the region began.