Traffic in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb declined sharply on Tuesday, as security concerns surged amid escalating regional tensions, shipping analytics firm Kpler said on Wednesday.
Strait of Hormuz crossings dropped 31 percent day-on-day to nine vessels and Bab el Mandeb down 34 percent to 29, according to data released by Kpler on social media.
Although shipping continues through both the chokepoints, operational confidence remains under pressure, Kpler said.
Four vessels have made U-turns near the Gulf of Aden, suggesting that operators are becoming more cautious following Houthi threats against Saudi linked shipping, according to Kpler.
Kpler warned that continued attacks around the two regional maritime chokepoints could reshape shipping routes, raise freight costs and keep geopolitical risk premiums in global energy markets elevated.
The Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping on Monday, raising concerns that disruptions already affecting the Strait of Hormuz could spread to another vital maritime chokepoint.
In response, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Monday night that it would take necessary measures to protect its commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and respond firmly to any threats.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Wednesday that a tanker caught fire off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the southern Red Sea after being struck by an unknown projectile, leaving the crew fighting the blaze.
The attack was reported around the same time as Yemen's Houthi group said it had carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
Traffic falls in Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb straits amid regional tensions
China’s government‑backed consumer goods trade‑in programs generated 1.1 trillion yuan (about 162.3 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, benefiting 150 million consumers, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce.
The nationwide initiative has spurred significant growth across multiple sectors. From January to June, 2026, the programs facilitated the trade-in of 3.707 million vehicles and 63.266 million home appliances, alongside the purchase of 79.098 million digital and smart products. Additionally, 19 provincial-level regions have implemented autonomous subsidy policies for specific categories, driving the sales of 992,000 related items.
More consumers are opting for green and energy-efficient new energy vehicles (NEVs), accelerating the electrification of the auto market.
The proportion of NEVs benefiting from the auto trade-in subsidy has steadily increased since the beginning of 2026, reaching 65.4 percent in June. This surge supported the domestic retail penetration rate for NEVs to hit a record high of 62.4 percent in the second quarter.
Beyond the auto sector, the push for smarter consumption is also evident in the digital market. Sales of digital and smart products grew by 13.4 percent year on year in the first half of 2026, with a robust 32 percent increase recorded in June alone.
Since the implementation of the policy, smart glasses have emerged as a new growth hotspot in the smart consumption segment, with their sales growth accelerating month by month to hit 30.6 percent in June.
To further cater to consumers' desire for novel products, the 2026 trade-in policy grants local authorities greater autonomy to launch targeted subsidy programs based on local conditions.
Provinces and cities like east China's Jiangsu Province and Shanghai have incorporated cutting-edge smart products, such as embodied intelligent robots, into their subsidy scopes. This approach not only satisfies consumers' demand for new experiences but also opens up new market spaces for emerging technologies and industries.
The widening coverage of the trade-in program is also injecting fresh vitality into consumption in county and rural areas.
The number of offline participating outlets has increased by 28.1 percent year on year, further energizing county and rural markets. In east China's Fujian Province, the count of offline stores joining home appliance trade-in activities in county and rural areas has grown by 15 percent compared with the start of the year.
To fully tap into the potential of low-tier markets, the Ministry of Commerce, in conjunction with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has launched campaigns to bring NEVs to the countryside. These efforts focus on increasing the supply of suitable vehicle models in rural areas, ensuring the fulfillment of trade-in subsidy demands, and improving charging infrastructure and after-sales service networks.
China's consumer goods trade-in program generates 1.1 trillion yuan sales
