Two Closed Corridors: Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Both Effectively Shut to Tanker Traffic
At a Glance Operational Overview Both major Gulf corridors are effectively closed to normal commercial tanker traffic, for different reasons on each side. Hormuz recorded zero tanker crossings on July 27, with all six transits routing through the IRGC-controlled northern corridor. Bab el-Mandeb crossings have fallen 22% since the July 20 Houthi blockade declaration, with…
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CER Designation Has Started: What Cable Operators Need to Know
At a Glance The Designation Window Has Opened The July 17, 2026 deadline set by the Critical Entities Resilience Directive has passed. Under Article 6 of the Directive, EU member states were required to identify critical entities within their jurisdictions by that date, and to notify identified entities within one month of identification. Notifications began…
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EU’s 21st Sanctions Package: Full Maritime Services Ban Shelved
The EU’s 21st sanctions package has been released and, as anticipated, the proposal for a full maritime services ban was shelved, allowing European shipowners and marine service providers to continue shipping Russia oil, so long as it is sold at prices below the Oil Price Cap. Most of the package had already been trailed, but…
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The Red Sea Reopens as a Second Front While Saudi Crude Routes Around the Blockade
At a Glance Operational Overview The Red Sea has reopened as a second active front. The Houthis resumed attacks on July 22 following a September 2025 ceasefire, hit a Saudi Aramco refinery at Jizan on July 25, and launched missiles intercepted before reaching Yanbu. Four vessels have been hit or affected across the reporting period….
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