Northern Strait of Hormuz route takes larger share of remaining traffic
07 Aug 2026
Of the transits still being made, the northern route carried the larger share in the week to 6 August; the suspended Traffic Separation Scheme recorded none.
Situation
Over the seven-day period, 12 outbound and 15 inbound full transits used the northern route, against six outbound and six inbound using the southern Oman territorial-water route. No full transits used the suspended Traffic Separation Scheme. Figures are AIS-derived.
What has changed
Route selection among continuing transits has concentrated on the northern route, with the Traffic Separation Scheme unused.
Operational relevance
Observed route selection indicates that vessels continuing to transit are disproportionately favouring the northern route.
Trident assessment
The route split is consistent with operators adjusting behaviour in response to the current threat environment, although route choice alone should not be treated as evidence of safety. These are AIS-derived observations, not routing advice.
What to watch
Shifts in the route split as the operating environment changes. The figures are AIS-derived and do not capture EMCOM-silent movements.
Related report
Maritime Security Report · 7 August 2026
Voluntary Reporting Area Overview
Read the reportSource
AIS-derived transit data — Trident Voluntary Reporting Area overview · 7 August 2026
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