Houthi Attacks Disrupt Bab el-Mandeb Shipping Amid Global Energy Concerns
Shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has slowed significantly due to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities, raising concerns over global energy supplies and maritime security. The disruption follows attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels along the Red Sea coast, with the group seeking to blockade Saudi exports.
The lowest daily traffic level in months was recorded on Sunday, with only 11 commodity vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb. Seven of these were oil tankers, including two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) heading to Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port to load crude oil.
A total of four tankers exited the Red Sea, carrying around 2 million barrels of Saudi and Emirati crude bound for China's Ningbo port. Another tanker transported approximately 750,000 barrels of Saudi crude destined for Pakistan, while a Russian-linked vessel carrying crude oil also sailed toward China.