Hormuz Cargo Movement Remains Limited as Some Red Sea Services Resume

As U.S.-Iran negotiations fail to restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, cargo movement in the conduit remains sparse. Across all vessels, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained subdued over the past week, with MarineTraffic confirming 84 transits in total from Aug. 3-9. “Until a practical and publicly communicated transit mechanism exists, both [the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea] should be treated as operationally active but politically fragile,” he said. More carriers test Red Sea returnDespite continued concerns over security in the Middle East after the Iran-aligned Houthis imposed their blockade on Saudi ports, larger ocean carriers are slowly making their return to the Red Sea. Cosco has been offering regular weekly sailings to the Red Sea since March 2026 via its shared REX2 service, using CMA CGM vessels.