Shipping Through Hormuz Remains Near Standstill as Bab el-Mandeb Traffic Stabilizes

Marine traffic remains minimal in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, although traffic through the latter has stabilized at a sharply reduced level, according to the latest tracking data reported by CBS News and The Associated Press (AP).

Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply below prewar levels amid continuing security concerns. [Image:] Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center]

Only eight commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, down from 15 on Tuesday and 12 on Wednesday, according to data firm Kpler.

Before the war began, about 130 ships typically transited the strategically important strait, carrying about 20% of global oil and gas shipments. Even with no new attacks reported in either strait, vessels remain hesitant to make the crossing.

In the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern entrance to or exit from the Red Sea, 26 vessels made the crossing on Thursday, according to Kpler.

On Tuesday, 32 ships made the crossing, while 22 transited on Wednesday. Before the Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they would target Saudi-flagged ships, about 50 to 70 vessels crossed the Bab el-Mandeb each day.

The Houthis have fired missiles or drones at about half a dozen Saudi ships in recent weeks, according to the report.