How many ships pass through Bab el-Mandeb per day?

Recent counts have run in the twenties to low thirties, against 43 on the same date a year earlier per IMF PortWatch. Check a live tracker for today.

Are ships avoiding the Red Sea?

Many operators continue rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, which adds more than 20 transit days according to reporting cited by Al Jazeera.

Bab el-Mandeb right now

Transit counts against the normal baseline, every figure attributed and dated. For live numbers, use the trackers listed at the foot.

What the counts show

Reporting through September 2026 describes a sharp fall in transits. IMF PortWatch data cited by Reuters showed 31 vessel transits on 13 September against 43 on the same date a year earlier, with substantial day-to-day variation across the month.

For scale on how far traffic can fall: PortWatch data cited by Al Jazeera showed Red Sea shipping volume and tonnage dropping by 50 to 55 percent between 2023 and 2025, during the earlier escalation.

Who holds the shore

In September 2026 Houthi forces completed a takeover of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, capturing the port of Mocha and taking Perim Island after government forces withdrew, according to Reuters, AFP and Al Jazeera reporting.

Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera assessed that the territorial gains do not fundamentally change the group’s capability, but do make targeting vessels simpler than before. Forces are now positioned roughly 20 km from the African shore.

Transit arrangements

A Houthi-run body, the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, oversees vessel movement through the strait and describes its safe transit service as voluntary and free of charge. In August 2026 it denied Reuters reporting that transit fees were under consideration, and urged operators not to pay anyone claiming to charge for passage.

Treat any arrangement described here as provisional. Terms reported one week have repeatedly been contested the next.

Where to check live figures

IMF PortWatch publishes daily transit counts. TankerMap tracks tanker transits and tonnage specifically. The US Maritime Administration issues advisories covering the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden, and UKMTO issues incident advisories.

This page is maintained periodically and will lag events. Prefer a source with a stated counting method over a larger figure with none.

Common questions

How many ships pass through Bab el-Mandeb per day?: Recent counts have run in the twenties to low thirties, against 43 on the same date a year earlier per IMF PortWatch. Check a live tracker for today.
Are ships avoiding the Red Sea?: Many operators continue rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, which adds more than 20 transit days according to reporting cited by Al Jazeera.