Research for Bab el-Mandeb Strait

The free flow of oil is critical to world commerce and global economic prosperity. Oil trade requires the use of maritime trade routes, which can span from hundreds to thousands of miles. Hence, oil tankers often travel through straits and canals to reduce transport costs. These passageways—referred to as chokepoints—are narrow channels along the most widely used global sea routes.  This study evaluates how potential disruptions at critical chokepoints could affect the U.S. economy and economies around the world.