Do you know what the key maritime chokepoints are?

Maritime chokepoints are defined as critical points along transport routes that facilitate the passage of substantial trade volumes, which serve as vital
arteries for global commerce, connecting important regions worldwide. Due to limited alternative routes, disruptions can lead to
negative impacts in supply chains and to systemic consequences that affect food security, energy supply and the global economy.

”A key feature of maritime transport is its reliance on chokepoints: strategic, narrow maritime passages such as the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal. These critical waterways provide shortcuts on lengthy intercontinental maritime journeys and reduce time and costs. Yet the essential role of these chokepoints makes them particularly vulnerable to disruptions – whether climatic, economic, geopolitical or operational – leading to severe consequences for global shipping.”, commented Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD.

Primary maritime chokepoints

The following are considered key maritime chokepoints due to their connections and significance in terms of seaborne trade volume and specific goods:

#1 Bab al-Mandeb Strait (Red Sea)

• Connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean
• Crucial for oil and natural gas from the Middle East
• Share of total global seaborne trade volume (2023): 8.7 per cent
• Share of global seaborne trade volume per commodity (2023): cars and containers (20 per cent each); oil products (15 per cent); and crude oil (13 per cent)

#2 Cape of Good Hope 

• Connects the Indian Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean
• Main commodities passing around this chokepoint include containerized cargo, crude oil and dry bulks (iron ore and coal)
• Share of all seaborne-traded oil (2023): 8 per cent

#3 Panama Canal

• Connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean
• Key for containerized trade and trades in cars, grain and LPG
• Share of global seaborne trade volume (2023): 2.16 per cent (tons)

#4 Strait of Gibraltar 

• Links the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean and connects major economies worldwide
• Hosts critical infrastructure, including gas pipelines and Europe–Africa electrical connections
• Crucial for flow of crude oil and LNG, mainly to European markets

#5 Strait of Hormuz

• Connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea
• Crucial for global energy security, with a significant portion of the world’s petroleum passing through this chokepoint
• Share of global seaborne trade volume (2023): 11.1 per cent (Nightingale 2024, based on Clarksons Research Services)
• Share of global seaborne trade volume per commodity (2023): Crude oil (39 per cent); propane (31 per cent); oil products (20 per cent) and
  natural gas (19 per cent)

#6 Strait of Malacca

• Connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea
• Crucial for trade between Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East and for Asia energy imports and exports to the rest of the world
• Share of global seaborne trade volume (2023): 23.7 per cent
• Share of global seaborne trade volume per commodity (2023): crude oil(45 per cent); propane (42 per cent); cars (26 per cent); and dry bulk (23 per cent)

#7 Suez Canal

• Connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea
• Crucial for trade between Europe and Asia
• Reduces travel time for ships by eliminating the need to navigate around Cape of Good Hope
• Share of global trade volume: Around 10 per cent (tons)
• Share of all global container traffic (TEU): 22 per cent
• Top three commodities (2023 volumes): cars and containers (20 per cent each); oil products (15 per cent); and crude oil (10 per cent)

#8 Turkish Straits (Bosporus and Dardanelles)

• Connects the Black Sea with the Mediterranean Sea
• Crucial for transport of oil and grain from the Black Sea region
• Share of global seaborne trade volume (2023): 3.1 per cent