Shipping traffic through Bab el-Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz drops sharply

Commercial shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz fell sharply on September 14 amid intensified attacks in the region, with vessel crossings through both key waterways declining from the previous day.

According to Reuters, citing preliminary data from analytics company Kpler, just four commercial vessel crossings were recorded through the Strait of Hormuz on September 14, down from 10 on September 13.

Two bulk carriers exited the strait — one loaded and one in ballast — while two empty oil tankers entered.

The figures do not include vessels that may have passed through the strait with their tracking transponders switched off.

Meanwhile, 21 commercial vessels crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on September 14, compared with 28 on September 13.

By Jeyhun Aghazada