On October 25, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz witnessed six VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) transits, the highest number since October 17. At the same time, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait recorded one VLCC transit on each of October 24 and 25.
Details of Transits in the Strait of Hormuz
The total number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz remained stable at 17 on October 24 and 25. According to the provided data, the total VLCC transits in Hormuz increased to six on October 25, up from five on October 24. The vessels exiting the Persian Gulf included the ship “Monaco Prosperity,” while the incoming vessels included “Bangladesh Prosperity,” “Annie,” “Thailand Prosperity,” “West Lialty,” and “Bulgaria Prosperity.”
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Transits in Bab el-Mandeb and Military Activities
In the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, on October 24 and 25, two VLCCs, including “Dela” and “Karina,” transited. These transits coincided with increased traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, observed due to military activities by the United States. On October 25, the U.S. Central Command reported that over 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil have been exported from the Strait of Hormuz since last summer. Additionally, over 3,000 commercial vessels have passed through this strait with the support of U.S. Central Forces in the past six months.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. Central Command, stated while flying over the Strait of Hormuz: “The main transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain open and clear of Iranian sea mines thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our team.” These remarks came as Iran recently began a heavy wave of attacks on commercial vessels around the Strait of Hormuz and broader areas. The International Maritime Organization reported 29 attacks from October 1 to 22, the highest number in recent months.
On October 26, the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations Center reported that a tanker was damaged while exiting the Strait of Hormuz due to a collision with an unknown project. Fortunately, no casualties or oil spills were reported.
In total, of the 16 VLCC transits identified between October 23 and 25, 10 were assessed as inbound and 6 as outbound. The inbound transits included five vessels belonging to South Korea's Sinokor and the vessels “Majra” and “Qasba.” The VLCC “Annie” also entered the Persian Gulf after loading a cargo of “Basra Heavy” crude oil.
The outbound transits included the vessels “Romania Prosperity” and “Das,” as well as Saudi vessels “Kahla” and “Emerald Shine.”
During the period from October 23 to 25, five LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) vessels also transited the Strait of Hormuz, including one outbound and four inbound vessels. The outbound vessel was “Shenghai Long,” which had been in the Persian Gulf since August 21 and exited the Strait of Hormuz after loading LPG at Ras Laffan, Qatar, in a dark transit.
Activity in the U.S. maritime blockade line increased to 57 transits on October 25, up from 51 transits on October 24.
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