Kpler says Hormuz traffic dropped sharply on 31 August, Bab el-Mandeb stable

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply on August 31, with five confirmed crossings, down 50 percent from 10 a day earlier, according to maritime data firm Kpler. Four vessels entered the Middle East Gulf and one exited, using a mix of Iranian, Omani and negotiated routes. Two of the crossings involved shadow vessels, while one involved a sanctioned vessel. Kpler said the figure remained preliminary, noting that additional “dark” crossings could be retrospectively identified and added as new confirmation data becomes available. Activity through the Bab el-Mandeb was comparatively stable, with 35 confirmed crossings, up 2.9 percent day on day.