Somalia Rethinks Trade Routes as Bab el-Mandeb Crisis Disrupts Shipping

Somalia is rethinking established trade routes as Red Sea and Gulf security concerns push businesses toward alternative shipping connections.

September 14, 2026

By Kulu Media 

Somalia trade routes shift amid Bab el-Mandeb shipping crisisA container ship docks at Mogadishu Port, Somalia's main maritime gateway for imported goods. Credit: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Somalia trade routes are beginning to change as businesses seek alternatives to established shipping channels amid growing security concerns around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz.

Somali companies that traditionally import Asian goods through Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia are increasingly exploring more direct shipping connections, according to an Associated Press report published September 13.

The shift comes as the expanding conflict in Yemen increases uncertainty around Bab el-Mandeb, the strategic waterway connecting the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea.

The development marks an economic consequence of a security crisis that has moved progressively closer to the Horn of Africa.

Somalia Tests Direct Import Routes

Mohamed Ali Nur, director general of Mogadishu Seaport, told AP that recent tensions around both Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz have negatively affected Somalia.

Businesses are consequently looking for alternative ways to bring goods into the country.

One significant example is sugar.

According to AP, Somalia recently received a shipment of sugar directly from Sri Lanka for the first time rather than bringing the commodity through the traditional Gulf trading route.

The change demonstrates how Somali importers are beginning to adjust supply chains in response to insecurity around two of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

For Somalia, which depends heavily on maritime imports, prolonged disruption or higher shipping costs could eventually affect businesses and consumers through increased transportation costs and longer delivery times.

Houthi Advance Raises Pressure Around Bab el-Mandeb

The trade shift follows a rapid expansion of Houthi-controlled territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

Houthi forces seized Mocha on September 10 before advancing farther south toward Bab el-Mandeb.

The group subsequently reached Perim Island, also known as Mayun, which lies directly inside the strategic strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

The territorial gains have significantly increased concerns about the security of the maritime corridor.

Bab el-Mandeb separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea and provides the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Ships passing through it can continue north toward the Suez Canal, making the waterway a major trade connection between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.Geographic Reference

The strait has become even more strategically important as instability has simultaneously affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Crisis Spreads Across the Horn of Africa

The consequences of the Yemen escalation are increasingly extending beyond the battlefield.

More than 85,000 Yemenis have been displaced during the renewed fighting, according to AP, with more than 2,000 crossing the Red Sea to neighboring Djibouti.

Somalia’s decision to explore alternative trade routes represents another way the crisis is spreading into the Horn of Africa.

The effects are particularly important for Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia because of their proximity to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden maritime system.Geographic Reference

Ethiopia is landlocked and relies heavily on Djibouti for access to international maritime trade, while Eritrea sits directly opposite Yemen along the Red Sea.

Somalia has an extensive coastline along the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and depends on maritime trade for many imported goods.

Somalia Trade Routes Could Face Higher Costs

The immediate impact on Somali consumers remains uncertain.

AP reported that shipping professionals are increasingly concerned about security risks and the possibility of higher transportation costs as vessels and traders adapt their operations.

Direct imports could help Somali businesses reduce dependence on Gulf transit points, but longer or more complicated shipping arrangements could also increase costs.

The situation will depend heavily on whether commercial vessels can continue moving safely through Bab el-Mandeb and whether the conflict around Yemen expands further.

Despite the growing security concerns, vessel movements through Bab el-Mandeb have not stopped. Reuters reported on September 14 that 24 commodity vessels crossed the strait on Saturday and 27 on Sunday, broadly in line with the recent 10-day average.

That suggests the current impact is better characterized as growing security and supply-chain pressure rather than a complete disruption of maritime traffic.

For Somalia, however, the first moves toward alternative import routes show that businesses are already preparing for the possibility of a more prolonged Red Sea crisis.