Commodity vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz fell to just three on September 16, 2026, according to Kpler data, marking a sharp decline amid escalating regional tensions. The figure, well below the 10-day average of 17 vessels, highlights persistent risks threatening global shipping lanes.
On September 16, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz saw only three commodity vessels transit, a stark drop from 12 a day earlier and far below the 10-day average of 17, per Kpler data. The figures exclude vessels using dark routes or disabling transponders to avoid detection. An empty Supramax dry bulk ship entered via the Iranian route, while an empty petroleum product tanker entered through a dark route, and a Panamax tanker exited the waterway using a dark route, according to shipping data from Kpler.
Saudi Arabian warplanes pounded Yemen and Houthi fighters launched drones and missiles at Saudi cities. The Iran-backed Houthis’ rapid advance in Yemen along the Red Sea coast, attacks on Saudi Arabia and damage to the kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline have widened Tehran’s reach in the conflict and raised risks to global oil supplies.
Bab el-Mandeb traffic falls sharply to around 26 vessels
In the Red Sea, vessel crossings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait eased to 21 on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, compared with 24 vessels a day earlier, according to Source 2. This compares to a 10-day average of 27 vessels, per Kpler data.
Commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has fallen to around 26 vessels a day in recent days, compared with a pre-Red Sea crisis average of about 70, ship-tracking data showed, raising concerns about the prolonged impact of security risks on one of the world’s most important maritime corridors. Data from maritime tracking systems showed 25 commodity vessels crossing the strait on Tuesday, with 11 entering the Red Sea and 14 exiting. Traffic increased to 28 vessels on Wednesday, including 16 inbound and 12 outbound ships, before easing to 26 on Thursday, with 10 entering and 16 leaving.
The decline in Bab el-Mandeb traffic follows a multistage drop since late 2023. From January 2022 to October 2023, the strait handled an average of 71 cargo and tanker vessels per day. Traffic initially increased after October 7, 2023, reaching 77 vessels daily between October 7 and November 16, 2023. However, Houthi attacks on commercial shipping beginning in November 2023 reduced daily averages to 43 vessels from November 17, 2023, to February 19, 2024—a 39% decrease from pre-crisis levels.
By March 2024, traffic through Bab el-Mandeb had roughly halved compared with pre-crisis levels. Research by the International Institute for Strategic Studies found transits between February and October 2024 remained around 60% below pre-crisis levels. IMF PortWatch-derived data show daily traffic averaging 33.5 vessels during 2025, less than half the 71-vessel pre-crisis reference level. Traffic remained in the mid-30s during the first half of 2026, with averages of 34 in January, 37 in February, 36 in March, and 37 in April.
Number of ships transiting Strait of Hormuz falls to
The July-August 2026 decline marked a second significant deterioration in the route. On July 20, 2026, the Houthis announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabian port traffic and warned that vessels calling at Saudi terminals could be targeted. Kpler data showed commodity-related Bab el-Mandeb transits averaged 34 vessels per day before the escalation, but the seven-day moving average fell to 24 per day by July 29. Monthly PortWatch data showed the impact extending into August, when average daily traffic fell to 28 vessels, the lowest monthly level in the recent series.
The Houthis’ seizure of Perim Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Dhubab in Taiz province on Friday, a Yemeni government military source told Anadolu, added to the instability. These moves have compounded risks for ships navigating the waterway, which remains vital for Gulf oil exports.
Conditions at the Strait of Hormuz are more severe. On September 16, 2026, only three commodity vessels crossed the strait, down from 12 a day earlier and below the 10-day average of 17, according to Kpler data. The figures exclude vessels that might have passed through with transponders turned off. An empty Supramax dry bulk ship entered via the Iranian route, while an empty petroleum product tanker and a Panamax tanker used dark routes.
On September 17, 2026, vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained low, with preliminary data showing five vessels transiting, hovering around the 10-day average of 14. Four entered and one exited, according to Kpler. No liquid tankers were among the vessels, with one empty handy-sized gas tanker entering via the Iranian route and three laden dry bulk carriers.
Strait of Hormuz commodity vessel transits stay in single
On Tuesday, a Saudi oil tanker was stopped while transiting through the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian media reports. Meanwhile, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait saw 27 vessels transiting, with 14 entering and 13 exiting, according to Kpler. Five of the 27 were Aframax- or Suezmax-sized crude tankers, while none were very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers.
The physical diversion of ships away from the Red Sea became visible in early to mid-December 2023, intensifying as major shipping companies began rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. This shift has increased transit times and costs for shipping companies, according to World Bank analysis.
As of September 2026, the 25, 28, and 26 vessels recorded from Tuesday through Thursday produced an average of just over 26 per day, while the 10-day average stood at about 27. AIS-based figures may also underestimate actual movements because some vessels transit with their transponders switched off to reduce visibility amid heightened security risks.