A chokepoint is a stretch of water narrow enough that closing it forces a detour long enough to change the economics of a trade. That definition excludes a lot of famous straits and includes a few obscure ones. Ranked below by throughput, with the reroute cost that gives each one its leverage. Volumes are approximate and stated on a normal-year basis. Several of these have not had a normal year since 2023, which is noted where it applies.

There’s a certain shift in tone circulating through the industry right now—subtle, but noticeable to anyone watching vessel traffic patterns and freight indices. Maersk has confirmed that it plans to resume operations through the Red Sea and Suez Canal “as soon as conditions allow,” following nearly two years of rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope due to maritime security risks linked to Houthi activity in the Bab-al-Mandab strait. The language remains cautious, but the intent is clear: the world’s second-largest container carrier is preparing for a phased return to one of global shipping’s most critical corridors.

U.S. aircraft carriers are capable of passing through the Suez Canal, but it is a challenging and infrequent maneuver. The Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, is a vital waterway for international maritime trade, but its dimensions and operational conditions impose certain restrictions on large vessels like aircraft carriers. The Suez Canal has a minimum width of 205 meters (673 feet) and a depth of about 24 meters (79 feet) after its most recent expansions.