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Shipping Traffic via Hormuz Falls as Security Risks Persist

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Commercial vessel traffic via the Strait of Hormuz fell over the weekend as shipping faced continued security risks and heightened scrutiny from Iranian forces, while the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remained considerably busier, shipping data showed on Monday.

"Since last Monday, traffic continued through both chokepoints, but the operating environment remained fragile," MarineTraffic said in a Monday note, noting that verified transits through the Strait of Hormuz totaled 84 from Aug. 3-9.

Traffic through the Hormuz fell to six on Sunday, down from 11 on Saturday and 15 on Friday, MarineTraffic data showed.

A total of 32 vessels were recorded transiting the strait between Friday and Sunday. "The latest daily count was therefore the lowest of the week and was strongly weighted toward vessels entering the Middle East Gulf," according to MarineTraffic.

The data platform said routing remained concentrated, with 17 movements using Iran's Unilateral Scheme and 10 classified as route undetermined, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding vessels' movements.

Across the week, a total of 44 crossings used the Iranian Unilateral Scheme, while 35 were Route Undetermined, four used the International Maritime Organization's Hormuz Traffic Separator Scheme and one used Omani Territorial Waters Passage.

The slowdown comes as the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency warned of continued risks to commercial shipping in and around the Strait in its Sunday note.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continued to hail and surveil merchant vessels, including through unmanned aerial vehicle overflights, while projectile strikes and near-miss explosions were reported along the southern Omani approaches near Limah, Khasab and Kumzar.

The UKMTO said risks also include the possibility of drifting or uncharted mines, with mine danger areas remaining active near the traffic separation scheme.

The US Central Command said that as of Aug. 9 it had redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others to ensure compliance.

Meanwhile, traffic via the Bab el-Mandeb held steady over the same Aug. 7-9 period, with 116 confirmed crossings, according to MarineTraffic. Daily crossings stood at 43 on Friday, 37 on Saturday and 36 on Sunday.

However, MarineTraffic said that the Red Sea route remained below levels seen before the Houthi-declared blockade on July 20. The data also showed continued AIS visibility concerns, with 12 dark transits recorded during the period.

"Saturday also recorded elevated risk activity, including 10 sanctioned crossings and eight dark transits," according to MarineTraffic.

The divergent traffic patterns illustrate how risk perceptions are shaping shipping routes. Though vessels continue to move via the Bab el-Mandeb in relatively greater numbers, the decline in Hormuz crossings suggests shipowners and operators remain cautious about transiting the strategic waterway.

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