Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz saw a significant decline over the weekend, with confirmed vessel crossings dropping from 15 on Friday to 11 on Saturday and further down to six on Sunday. Between August 7 and 9, a total of 32 vessels navigated this crucial waterway, with movements predominantly concentrated; 17 vessels followed the Iranian Unilateral Scheme, while 10 had undetermined routes, as reported by maritime tracker MarineTraffic.
In contrast, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait experienced a surge in activity, recording 116 confirmed crossings during the same three-day span. Daily vessel movements remained relatively stable, with 43 transits on Friday, 37 on Saturday, and 36 on Sunday.
However, concerns regarding persistent AIS visibility along the route were noted, with operators reporting 12 dark transits over the weekend. Saturday was particularly concerning, as it saw heightened risk activity, including 10 sanctioned crossings and eight dark transits, raising alarms about safety and security in these vital shipping lanes.
