Gulf Waterway Traffic Shows Little Improvement

August 4, 2026

News summary: Reuters reported that 20 vessels crossed Bab el-Mandeb on Monday while only six vessels—three tankers and three bulk carriers—transited Hormuz, down from seven the previous day.

Market context: Diplomatic signals had not yet restored normal physical flows, so vessel approval, war-risk insurance, route choice and delivery timing remained critical to executable cargo offers.