Bab al-Mandab ship traffic shows signs of recovery: report
Shipping activity rebounds slightly in Bab al-Mandab as Hormuz tensions escalate
Commercial shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait increased modestly, although the security environment remained volatile, an industry tracker reported.
The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), in its Update 111 Advisory Note dated November 5, 2026, distributed by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), reported one suspicious-activity incident in the southern Red Sea, identified as MSCIO 168/26, but no confirmed attack against a merchant vessel.
Tracking data showed an average of approximately 34 commercial transits daily from November 1 to 4, compared with around 28 per day in the preceding week, even as Iran-linked attacks have stepped up around the Strait of Hormuz.
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Daily movements were recorded at 38, 37, 35 and 26 vessels, respectively.
The increase suggests some recovery in shipping activity. However, traffic remains below the levels recorded before the Houthi "selective embargo" announced on July 20.
The waterway remains open to commercial shipping.
Houthi statements continue to indicate that non-Saudi commercial vessels may transit safely, although the JMIC cautioned that the area remains volatile.
Somali piracy concern eases, but tanker remains hijacked
In the Somali Basin, the fishing vessel AZINI, hijacked by armed pirates off northeastern Somalia on October 29, was reported liberated on November 2, closing the incident.
However, one merchant vessel remains hijacked: the Tanzanian-flagged product and chemical tanker MT ASANA, seized on July 17, approximately 65 nautical miles southwest of Mukalla, Yemen.
The Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Northern Red Sea and Suez Canal reported no confirmed attacks or significant disruptions.
The Eastern Mediterranean also remained at its established security baseline.
A suspected pirate-action-group warning in the Gulf of Aden was reported to have remained in force until November 3, with no replacement warning identified.
The modest recovery in Bab al-Mandab traffic offers some encouragement, but it does not offset the continuing risks around Hormuz.
The region's major shipping corridors remain operational, but operational does not mean safe. Shipping companies must continue assessing individual voyages against evolving military and security threats.
