RismadarVoice Reporters
September 11, 2026
Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, with vessel movements dropping to single digits amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, preliminary ship-tracking data has shown.
The data indicated that only seven vessels transited the strategic waterway on Wednesday, down from 12 the previous day and below the 10-day average of 14 vessels.
Of the seven vessels recorded, four exited the strait while three entered. However, analysts noted that some ships may not have been captured if their tracking systems were switched off.
Among the vessels that exited was the very large crude carrier Finland Prosperity, which was carrying nearly two million barrels of crude oil. No liquefied natural gas tankers were recorded leaving the waterway.
The remaining outbound vessels included two dry bulk carriers and a short-range tanker, while the inbound vessels comprised one dry bulk carrier, one short-range tanker and a medium-range tanker.
Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another major global shipping route, remained relatively stable, with 28 commodity vessels recorded passing through on Wednesday, close to its 10-day average of 27.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s crude and condensate shipments from the Red Sea port of Yanbu have recovered in September after falling to a six-month low in August, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler and Vortexa.
Vortexa estimated that Yanbu loadings increased to 3.7 million barrels per day in September from 3.2 million barrels per day in August, while Kpler placed September figures at 2.9 million barrels per day compared with 1.5 million barrels per day the previous month.
The decline in August was linked to intensified attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi fighters near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which disrupted shipping activities in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy routes, with a significant portion of global oil supplies passing through the narrow waterway.
