Global trade powers economies, fuels industries, and connects nations. But behind the trillions of dollars exchanged every year are the arteries that make it possible: trade routes. These sea lanes, canals, and chokepoints are vital to the smooth flow of goods across continents.

Some are centuries old, while others are products of modern engineering. What they all share is outsized importance: any disruption in them has ripple effects across the global economy.

Here are the seven most important trade routes in the world today:

1. The Suez Canal (Egypt)

The Suez Canal is one of the most famous waterways in the world, carrying nearly 12 percent of all global trade and goods worth over $1 trillion each year. By connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, it offers the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia, saving vessels up to 10 days of travel compared to sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. Its importance was underscored in 2021 when the Ever Given container ship blocked the canal, halting almost $10 billion worth of goods every day and sending shockwaves through global supply chains.

2. The Strait of Hormuz (Middle East)

The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Oman and Iran, is the world’s most critical energy chokepoint. Every day, about 17 million barrels of oil pass through its narrow waters, accounting for roughly a quarter of global consumption. The economies of China, Japan, India, and South Korea are heavily dependent on oil and liquefied natural gas moving through this strait. Even minor tensions in the region are enough to push global energy prices higher; in 2019, a single attack on oil tankers here caused crude prices to rise by four percent overnight.

3. The Panama Canal (Central America)

The Panama Canal links the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic and has transformed maritime trade since it opened in 1914. Each year, more than 14,000 ships carrying over 250 million tons of cargo pass through its locks, saving vessels up to 8,000 nautical miles of detour around South America. It is one of the most strategic routes in the Western Hemisphere, moving everything from grains and manufactured goods to liquefied natural gas. However, it is also vulnerable; in 2023, droughts forced traffic restrictions, delaying billions of dollars’ worth of shipments and highlighting the canal’s environmental fragility.

4. The Strait of Malacca (Southeast Asia)

The Strait of Malacca, running between Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, is one of the busiest shipping lanes on Earth. Over 90,000 vessels use it every year, transporting about a quarter of all global trade. For China in particular, this strait is indispensable, with more than 60 percent of its oil imports passing through. Its narrow width makes it a chokepoint, and any closure would force vessels to reroute through Indonesia’s Lombok Strait, adding thousands of kilometers in travel distance and drastically increasing shipping costs.

5. The English Channel & Dover Strait (Europe)

Though short in distance, the English Channel and Dover Strait are among the most heavily used maritime routes in the world. More than 500 ships transit daily, making it vital for trade between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The corridor handles about a quarter of UK–EU trade and carries a wide range of cargo including automobiles, food, and manufactured products. Because of its density, even relatively minor disruptions: whether due to storms, labor strikes, or port congestion—can cause immediate supply chain delays across Europe.

6. The Bosporus Strait (Turkey)

The Bosporus, which links the Black Sea with the Mediterranean, is one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways. Each year, around 48,000 ships pass through, transporting oil, petroleum products, grain, and metals. About three percent of global oil demand flows through this corridor, much of it from Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. During the Russia-Ukraine war, restrictions on grain exports through the Bosporus contributed to food price spikes worldwide, underscoring how critical this narrow passage is to both energy and food security.

7. The Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Long before the Suez Canal existed, the Cape of Good Hope at Africa’s southern tip was the main route between Europe and Asia. Today, it remains essential as an alternative path whenever disruptions occur elsewhere. During late 2023, when shipping companies diverted away from the Red Sea due to attacks on vessels, thousands of ships rerouted around the Cape, adding 10 to 14 extra days to their journeys. While longer and more expensive, this route remains an indispensable safety valve in the global trading system.

Why These Routes Matter

These seven trade routes are more than just shipping lanes. They are the lifelines of globalization, enabling businesses to access markets, source materials, and deliver goods to consumers worldwide. But they are also fragile, vulnerable to accidents, geopolitics, and climate change. When these arteries falter, the consequences ripple across economies, raising oil prices, disrupting supply chains, and straining businesses everywhere.

Waza: Powering the Trade Behind the Trade Routes

Just as ships depend on these global waterways to move goods, businesses depend on reliable financial “routes” to move money.

At Waza, we provide the infrastructure that allows businesses in frontier and emerging markets to send and receive global payments seamlessly. Whether you are importing raw materials, paying suppliers abroad, or expanding into new markets, Waza ensures your money moves as smoothly as the goods carried across these trade routes.

In a world where canals can be blocked, straits can be threatened, and routes can be rerouted overnight, fast and transparent cross-border payments are as critical as the shipping lanes themselves.

Waza is your bridge to global markets: streamlining payments so you can focus on growth.