Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb remained subdued as security threats from Iran and Yemen's Houthis continued to weigh on shipping, according to maritime agencies and shipping data released on Thursday.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained below normal during the 48 hours to Aug. 6 following multiple incidents reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations.
Independent tracking data showed only single-digit tanker movements in both directions, indicating suppressed traffic, the UKMTO said.
UKMTO said that Iranian forces continued activity targeting commercial shipping, including vessel hailing, unmanned aerial vehicle overflights and surveillance operations.
The maritime safety agency said that the incidents underscored Tehran's continued effort to maintain a presence along strategic maritime routes and exert pressure on vessels operating through the waterway.
Kinetic risks also remained elevated around the southern approaches to the Strait, particularly near Limah, Khasab and Kumzar off Oman, where projectile strikes and near-miss explosions were reported, according to the UKMTO.
In the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command said in an X post on Thurday that its forces had redirected 48 commercial vessels, disabled two vessels and boarded two others as part of efforts to protect maritime traffic and respond to threats in the region as of Aug. 5.
UKMTO said commercial traffic through the southern Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb remained below normal levels following a July 20 announcement by Houthis restricting Saudi-flagged vessel movements.
"The reduction reflected a posture shift following previous confirmed Houthi attack on a Saudi-flagged tanker," the UKMTO said.
In the northern Red Sea and Suez Canal, no confirmed attacks or operational disruptions were reported during the latest 48-hour monitoring period as of Aug. 6, while Suez Canal transits continued normally, the UKMTO said. However, elevated Global Navigation Satellite System interference around Yanbu persisted, though it had not affected shipping flows.
Preliminary data for July 27 to Aug. 2 showed 266 transits, suggesting shipping traffic had stabilized following the initial decline, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence's Red Sea Brief for Aug. 6.
Lloyd's List said vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell 24% after the Houthis imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, although transit volumes have largely stabilized following the initial decline.
Despite the disruption, Saudi crude exports continue through "lighter loadings, partial discharge operations, and use of the Sumed pipeline to bypass Suez draught restrictions," Lloyd's List said, noting that security risks remain elevated amid continued Houthi attacks.