Ships transiting via Bab el-Mandab strait at highest in a week, data shows

On Tuesday, 37 commodity ships transited the Bab el-Mandab Strait, marking the highest number since July 19, according to preliminary shipping data from Kpler. This included 20 ships entering and 17 exiting, though none were very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers. Among those exiting were three laden Aframax tankers, including the Aisopos and Gustav, each carrying over 750,000 barrels of oil. Entering ships included two tankers with petrochemical products, such as the Velos Aquarius carrying gasoline blendstock. Concurrently, Yemen's Houthis claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, enforcing a maritime blockade. In contrast, only five commodity ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, with Oman proposing joint regional management and voluntary fees for passage, a concept a US official stated would not involve tolls.