Crossings in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb remain low, with only 15 tankers recorded Monday amid geopolitical tensions.
Tanker traffic in two critical Middle East chokepoints remained subdued Monday despite reports of potential peace talks. Only three tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz, down from seven the previous day, while 12 transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to shipping data.
The decline follows heightened regional tensions, though most vessels in Bab el-Mandeb had transponders active, signaling no attempt to avoid detection. Last week, Hormuz saw an average of five daily crossings, while Bab el-Mandeb typically handles 15-20 tankers per day under normal conditions.
No immediate market reaction was reported, though persistent low traffic could signal ongoing supply chain risks for global oil shipments.