Key Takeaways
- Strait of Hormuz transits rose 44% on August 13, with 13 confirmed crossings compared to nine the previous day, signaling a volatile but slight recovery in activity.
- Bab el-Mandeb traffic remained steady with 29 confirmed crossings, despite a recent lethal Houthi attack on the cargo ship Tihamah that killed six seafarers.
- Shadow and sanctioned vessel activity continues to dominate strategic waterways, accounting for nearly 40% of the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.
- Iranian Unilateral Scheme was the primary route for Hormuz transits, used by nine out of 13 vessels, as the official Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) saw zero confirmed usage.
Shipping activity in the Middle East's most critical chokepoints showed signs of a tactical increase on August 13, 2026, even as geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran remain at a fever pitch. According to latest data from MarineTraffic, the Strait of Hormuz recorded 13 confirmed crossings, a 44% day-on-day increase from the nine transits recorded on August 12. Of these, seven vessels entered the Middle East Gulf (MEG) while six exited, reflecting a balanced but historically depressed flow of goods.
The composition of the traffic highlights the ongoing "shadow economy" necessitated by regional conflict and international sanctions. Of the 13 vessels that traversed the Strait of Hormuz, two were sanctioned and three were classified as shadow vessels, meaning nearly 40% of the day's traffic involved high-risk or non-transparent operators. Furthermore, nine vessels utilized the Iranian Unilateral Scheme for passage, while none were confirmed to have used the standard Hormuz Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), suggesting a continued reliance on Iranian-managed corridors.
In the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a vital gateway to the Red Sea, traffic remained relatively resilient with 29 confirmed crossings, a marginal 4% increase from 28 the day prior. This stability comes despite a significant escalation in maritime risk following a Houthi missile strike earlier this week that resulted in the first lethal casualties in the strait in over a year. Eighteen vessels entered the Red Sea while 11 exited, including four sanctioned and two shadow vessels.
Market participants remain on high alert as the United States maintains its naval blockade of Iranian ports, a move Tehran has met with threats to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed indefinitely. While no new vessel attacks were confirmed on August 13, the presence of "dark transits"—vessels disabling their AIS transponders—continues to complicate tracking efforts. Two such dark transits were recorded in the Bab el-Mandeb, a common tactic for ships attempting to evade Houthi targeting or hide the origin of sanctioned cargoes.
The broader impact on global energy markets remains severe, with daily transits through Hormuz still down more than 90% from pre-conflict levels of approximately 130 ships per day. While the 44% jump in daily traffic offers a minor reprieve, analysts at Lloyd’s List Intelligence note that the "geopolitical risk premium" remains firmly embedded in freight rates and insurance costs, as the region's two primary maritime arteries continue to operate under a militarized and highly unpredictable regime.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.