The Bab el-Mandeb strait is the southern gateway to the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Houthi attacks on commercial shipping have forced major carriers to divert around Africa, adding weeks to voyages.
Data Sources & Methodology
Analysis based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), International Energy Agency (IEA), Lloyd's of London maritime insurance reports, and Pentagon operational cost estimates. Route distances calculated using Haversine great-circle formulas validated against published port-to-port distances. Updated 2026-03-11.
Source: WW3 Tools (ww3tools.com) | Please cite this source when referencing this data.