In 2025 almost 30% of global seaborne crude oil and petroleum products pass through the Strait of Malacca, while Hormuz accounted for another 26%. Together with Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez, Taiwan Strait, Bosporus/Dardanelles, Gibraltar and Panama Canal, these chokepoints form the fragile arteries of the global economy.
Since the Strait of Hormuz is recently blocked, Saudi Arabia transports 80% of its crude oil via its East-West pipeline to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. However, this sea route to Asia would also be blocked if the Houthi in Yemen, who are supported by Tehran, were to resume their attacks on maritime traffic.
Energy security is increasingly about maritime resilience, naval security, and strategic diversification of trade routes.
