Shipping and chokepoints
Why is the Strait of Malacca so important?
The Strait of Malacca carries about 22% of seaborne trade and more oil than Hormuz. Why it matters for Asian supply chains and what could disrupt it.
Guide
Shipping and chokepointsLast updated
3 minute read
By Zed Three analysts
Short answer
The Strait of Malacca is the shortest sea route between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. It carries about 22% of global maritime trade, more than 102,500 ships transited it in 2025, and the EIA estimates 23.2 million barrels of oil a day passed through it in the first half of 2025, 29% of seaborne oil flows.
Last updated
Who depends on it
China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan import much of their energy and raw materials through Malacca, and Southeast Asian manufacturing hubs ship finished goods back the same way. Singapore sits at its southern end as one of the world's largest transshipment ports.
What could disrupt it
The main everyday risks are congestion, collisions and armed robbery at sea in the Singapore Strait. The strategic risk is a wider conflict in the South China Sea or around Taiwan that changes routing or insurance for the whole region. The Lombok and Sunda straits are alternatives, but they add distance and suit fewer ships.
Why it matters more in 2026
With Hormuz disrupted, Asian buyers have turned to crude from outside the Gulf, and much of that still reaches East Asia through Malacca. That raises the cost of any disruption there.
What happens next?
We assess it is highly unlikely that Malacca traffic is materially disrupted by conflict within 3 months.
We assess it is likely that armed robbery incidents in the Singapore Strait continue at a similar pace through year end.
Likelihood ranges are Zed Three editorial judgments as of Nov 2, 2026, not advice.
Free industry newsletter
Get Chokepoint free
The free industry newsletter going to 100K+ industry experts. The five stories that move markets, supply chains and deals, each with the so what worked out, every weekday morning.
Related chokepoints
Related country risk assessments
Frequently asked questions
Is the Strait of Malacca bigger than Hormuz for oil?
By volume, yes. The EIA estimated 23.2 million barrels a day through Malacca in the first half of 2025, compared with about 20 million through Hormuz in 2024.
What is the alternative to the Strait of Malacca?
The Lombok and Sunda straits in Indonesia, which add sailing time and are less suited to some vessels.
Which countries border the Strait of Malacca?
Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, with Thailand near its northern approaches.
Related guides
Free custom sample
Get a free sample threat report on shipping and chokepoints
Tell us your routes, suppliers or sites and Zed Three will build a custom sample threat report around them.