Shipping Traffic Drops in Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Straits

Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait declined sharply in early August 2026, according to S&P Global. On August 2, the Strait of Hormuz recorded only 17 crossings, while northbound traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to 10 vessels, the lowest level since May 26.

The downturn follows the collapse of a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement and a series of retaliatory attacks between the United States and Iran. Despite these tensions, Donald Trump claimed that a deal was "imminent".

While reports indicate that Oman and Iran agreed to jointly manage traffic, security incidents near Oman continue to hinder shipping. Overall transits in the Strait of Hormuz fell from 917 in June to 848 in July, with an increasing proportion of those vessels linked to Iran. Traffic passing through a U.S. naval blockade has remained relatively stable.