Maritime Chokepoints
Bab el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz
A maritime chokepoint is a narrow strait or passage that channels a disproportionate share of global shipping and energy trade, making it strategically vital and vulnerable to disruption. Bab el-Mandeb ("Gate of Tears") separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea, connecting the Red Sea (and hence the Suez Canal) to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean; the Strait of Hormuz separates Iran from Oman/UAE, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
- Roughly 6-7 million barrels per day of crude oil typically transit Bab el-Mandeb, versus around 20.9 million barrels per day (about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption) through the Strait of Hormuz.
- About 83% of crude oil and condensate passing through Hormuz historically moves to Asian markets — chiefly China, India, Japan, and South Korea.
- Around half the crude transiting Bab el-Mandeb is Saudi crude loaded at Yanbu on the Red Sea coast; a significant share of the remainder is Russian crude bound for India.
● Tracked since March 01, 2026 · last seen July 24, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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