Sun 09 Aug 2026 · 14:18 UTCNot investment advice. Automated, AI and OSINT based. May contain errors.
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Bab el-Mandeb
ElevatedTransit data to 31 Jul · IMF PortWatch derived, lags a few days
Transits
82% of baseline
29 a day against a 12-month average of 35
Week on week
▼ 11%
Trend
7-day average 29 transits/day, down 18% vs the trailing 12-month average. Source: IMF PortWatch, data to 2026-07-31.
The market lens
The southern gate of the Red Sea between Yemen and Djibouti. Disruption here does not trap cargo; it forces the Cape of Good Hope detour, adding roughly ten to fourteen days per voyage. The cost shows up first in container freight rates and war-risk premia, not in crude supply.
What to watch
Houthi attack tempo and the reach of their targeting (which flags, which cargoes).
Underwriters' war-risk pricing for Red Sea transits, and liner announcements about returning or leaving.
Naval escort coverage and its credibility with major carriers.
Recent signals touching Bab el-Mandeb
45d ago
Houthis maintain blockade of Bab al-Mandab; Asian importers dependent on Gulf oil face extended rerouting through Suez or the Cape, lifting tanker rates and refining costs.
35d ago
Houthis blockaded the Bab el-Mandeb; Saudi Arabia is rerouting crude exports via Egypt's Suez corridor, lifting shipping costs and extending voyage times for westbound barrels.
35d ago
Saudi Arabia may raise Asia-bound crude prices by up to $5/barrel to pass through higher shipping costs from Houthi disruptions in the Red Sea; refiners absorb cost or redirect sourcing.
25d ago
An Asia-bound Saudi oil tanker exited the Red Sea through Suez as others transit Bab el-Mandeb amid persistent Houthi threats; route choices are fragmenting, lengthening voyage times and raising transit insurance costs.