Shipping Chokepoints

Daily Oil Transit

~21M

Barrels per day — roughly 21% of global petroleum consumption

Daily LNG Transit

~25%

Of global liquefied natural gas passes through the strait

Width at Narrowest

21 nm

Navigable shipping lanes are only 2 miles wide in each direction

Why Hormuz Matters

The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil chokepoint. Located between Iran and Oman, it connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Roughly one-fifth of total global petroleum consumption passes through the strait daily.

Key CountriesIran, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain

Strategic RiskIran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait. Any disruption would immediately spike global oil prices.

Current SituationElevated military presence from US, Iran, and coalition forces amid ongoing regional tensions.

AlternativesLimited — Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline and UAE's Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline bypass Hormuz, but with far less capacity.

Annual Traffic

~19,000

Vessels transit the canal annually — about 12% of global trade

Revenue

$9.4B

Annual revenue for Egypt — a critical source of foreign currency

Transit Time

12-16h

Average transit time through the 193km canal

Why Suez Matters

The Suez Canal is the shortest maritime route between Europe and Asia. It eliminates the need to navigate around Africa, saving roughly 7,000 nautical miles. About 12% of global trade passes through this artificial waterway in Egypt.

Key RiskBlockages (as in 2021 with Ever Given) can disrupt global supply chains within days.

Houthi ImpactYemen-based Houthi attacks have forced some shipping to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 2-3 weeks to journeys.

CommoditiesOil, LNG, containers, grain — all major commodity flows depend on Suez.

GeopoliticalEgypt's control of the canal gives it significant leverage in regional and global affairs.

Daily Oil Transit

~6.2M

Barrels per day pass through this narrow strait

Width

18 nm

At its narrowest — highly vulnerable to disruption

Military Bases

5+

Foreign military installations in Djibouti alone (US, France, China, Japan, Italy)

Why Bab el-Mandeb Matters

Bab el-Mandeb ("Gate of Tears") connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. It is the southern gateway to the Suez Canal — if Bab el-Mandeb is blocked, Suez becomes effectively useless for Asia-Europe trade.

Key CountriesYemen, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia

Houthi ThreatSince late 2023, Houthi forces have launched repeated attacks on commercial shipping, forcing major reroutes.

Strategic ImportanceControls access to the Red Sea for all traffic heading to/from the Suez Canal.

Military PresenceDjibouti hosts military bases from the US (Camp Lemonnier), France, China, Japan, and Italy.

Daily Oil Transit

Daily LNG Transit

Width at Narrowest

Why Hormuz Matters

Annual Traffic

Revenue

Transit Time

Why Suez Matters

Daily Oil Transit

Width

Military Bases

Why Bab el-Mandeb Matters

All Chokepoints

Strait of Hormuz

Suez Canal

Bab el-Mandeb