Houthi Threats Send Red Sea Tanker Traffic Plummeting

Tanker traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has plummeted to its lowest level in months, according to Kpler's shipping data. Only 11 tankers carrying commodities transited the strait on Sunday, with seven of them being oil tankers.

The decline in tanker traffic is largely due to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and threats against vessels in the Red Sea. Last week, at least one oil tanker carrying Saudi crude oil transited the Bab al-Mandeb Strait with its transponder switched off as risks to vessels in the Red Sea spiked.

The low number of tankers is a significant drop from previous months, with some ship operators opting to take safer routes through the Suez Canal instead. The Houthi's announcement of a blockade on Saudi shipments has added to the uncertainty and risk for tanker operators.