Tracked shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz fell to just three vessels on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, amid rising tensions and reports of attacks on vessels in the area. Meanwhile, vessels continued passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at usual rates despite Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, taking control of Yemen’s strategically located Mayyun Island.
Shipping data records decline in Hormuz traffic
Data from the MarineTraffic platform showed that the vessels passing through Hormuz on Tuesday included a liquefied gas carrier and two cargo ships, one of which was flying the Iranian flag, compared with five vessels the previous day. The figures do not include vessels that may have switched off their automatic identification system devices to avoid having their movements tracked.
The decline coincided with the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reporting that it had received a report of a vessel being struck by an unspecified projectile on Monday evening in the Strait of Hormuz. The agency said no damage or environmental impact had been reported and that authorities were investigating the incident. Two conflicting accounts also emerged regarding an incident involving the oil tanker Elgaya.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard was quoted as saying that the tanker exploded and caught fire after striking mines while passing through a prohibited area in the southern part of the strait, without specifying when the incident occurred. In contrast, the US Central Command said the tanker had been hit by an Iranian missile during the previous month, disabling it, before Iran targeted it again with a drone.
Shipping continues through Bab el-Mandeb despite developments on the ground
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization also reported that another tanker was damaged on Saturday, noting that two crew members were missing without specifying the cause of the damage. In Bab el-Mandeb, vessel-tracking data showed that shipping traffic continued despite the Houthis reaching Dhu Bab District in Taiz governorate and taking control of Mayyun Island after advancing along Yemen’s western coast.
The group’s gains included control of the city of Mokha and Zuqar Island, as well as the encirclement of government forces on Greater and Lesser Hanish islands. According to an analysis of shipping data, 159 vessels passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in both directions between September 11 and the morning of September 15.
The vessels passing during the period linked to the announcement of the takeover included 112 cargo ships and 45 oil tankers, while vessels operated by companies based in China led traffic, with 37 vessels. Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, lies at the heart of Bab el-Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, separating the strait’s two shipping channels.
The wider western channel is the main route for international shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, while the island’s location provides direct oversight of vessel traffic and energy trade routes crossing the strait.
