Key facts
- Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz decreased by 50% on August 31, with five confirmed crossings.
- Four vessels entered the Middle East Gulf and one exited the Strait of Hormuz.
- Two of the Hormuz crossings involved shadow vessels, and one involved a sanctioned vessel.
- Activity through the Bab el-Mandeb was stable with 35 confirmed crossings.
- One report indicated all Hormuz transits used the Iranian Unilateral Scheme, suggesting reduced operational confidence.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz experienced a significant decline on August 31, with five confirmed crossings, representing a 50% decrease from the previous day's ten crossings, according to data from maritime analytics firm Kpler. Four vessels entered the Middle East Gulf and one exited, utilizing a combination of Iranian, Omani, and negotiated routes. Among these crossings, two involved shadow vessels and one included a sanctioned vessel.
Kpler cautioned that these figures are preliminary and may be subject to revision as additional "dark" crossings are identified. In contrast, traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb remained relatively stable, with 35 confirmed crossings, a slight increase of 2.9% compared to the day before. Nineteen vessels entered the Red Sea and 16 exited, with no recorded dark transits and no additional attacks verified by the International Maritime Organization.
An additional report from Kpler indicated that Hormuz crossings fell 77% day-on-day to five vessels, with all transits concentrated through the Iranian Unilateral Scheme. This suggests a potential reduction in operational confidence and limited routing options in the strategic waterway. The same report noted 47 vessel crossings through the Bab el-Mandeb, which included movements by sanctioned ships, shadow fleet activity, and one dark transit.