SAEDNEWS: Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait dropped noticeably over the weekend, with only 18 vessels passing through the strategic waterway on Sunday, down from 28 ships recorded on Friday. The decline highlights a significant reduction in maritime activity over the two-day period.
According to Saednews, Commercial vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait declined significantly over the weekend as growing security concerns discouraged ships from using the critical maritime route.
According to Kpler tracking data, 28 vessels crossed the strait on Friday, followed by 27 on Saturday and only 18 on Sunday. The decline came amid reports of a shipping attack and increasing security threats along the strategic waterway that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The tracking data also confirmed that two Saudi oil tankers successfully transited the strait earlier in the week. However, analysts caution that continued security incidents could further disrupt the movement of oil tankers and other commercial vessels through one of the world's most important shipping corridors.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait has experienced repeated maritime security incidents during the ongoing regional conflict. Yemeni forces have targeted ships they say are connected to Saudi Arabia as well as vessels linked to Israel, raising concerns about the safety of international shipping in the area.
