Houthi Threats Force Saudi Crude Tanker onto Longer Suez Route

The Houthi threat to shipping in the Red Sea has forced an oil tanker carrying Saudi crude to Asia to take a longer route through the Suez Canal. The supertanker Olympic Luck, partially laden with Saudi crude at Yanbu on the Red Sea, transited the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean late on Sunday.

This indicates that some tanker owners aren't willing to risk crossing southward into the Arabian Sea on the much shorter route to Asia, as the Iran-aligned Houthis have threatened, and struck, Saudi tankers in the Red Sea in recent days.

Despite the reduced traffic through Bab el-Mandeb, 'Saudi crude has not stopped moving. It has bifurcated,' maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Sunday.