TOKYO, May 12. /TASS/. Shipments of oil and petroleum products through the Panama Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans climbed by 74% this April compared to the 2025 average due to the disruption of shipping flows caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. These shipments are primarily directed from the US East Coast to Asian countries that are facing a sharp reduction in supplies from the Persian Gulf, the Japanese Nikkei newspaper reported. Up to 1.77 mln barrels of oil and petroleum products were delivered through the Panama Canal per day in April, according to the report. This is an all-time high since such statistics were compiled in 2013. Oil and petroleum product shipments through the Panama Canal to Japan have increased more than fivefold compared to 2025 levels. This route’s capacity is almost exhausted now, with long queues of ships piling up. Priority passage is auctioned off, with fees already reaching up to a million dollars. The Panama Canal is only suitable for small and medium-sized tankers. Supertankers from the US travel to Asian countries via the Cape of Good Hope route in southern Africa.
TOKYO, May 12. /TASS/. Shipments of oil and petroleum products through the Panama Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans climbed by 74% this April compared to the 2025 average due to the disruption of shipping flows caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. These shi…
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Anadolu reports that shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has decreased by 88% in the past 24 hours, dropping from an average of 33 daily transits to only four vessels, according to IMF PortWatch data. This reduction follows reports that Houthi forces have advanced to key coastal locations, including Mokha and Mayun Island, coinciding with a 91% decline in oil and chemical tanker passage.
Satellite imagery shows extensive damage to a key Saudi Arabian oil pipeline, a development that has reportedly disrupted operations. The assessment is based on a machine-translated headline from an Arabic-language source, so the specific extent of the impact remains unverified.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 93,864 people have been newly displaced in Yemen following recent clashes between Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi militias, while the UNHCR noted that hostilities along the western coast have prompted some individuals to cross into Djibouti.
These developments have raised concerns regarding the safety of humanitarian and commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as nearly half of Yemen’s population reportedly requires assistance amid growing food insecurity.
The Japanese Shipowners' Association reportedly estimates that Saudi oil deliveries to Asia could take approximately 100 days round trip if the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is closed, a significant increase from the current 40-day route via the Strait of Hormuz.
This potential disruption, which Asashi notes would raise transportation costs, is described in the source material as following the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an event the article attributes to a US-Iran conflict ongoing since February 28.