Red Sea Shipping Traffic Plummets After Houthi Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities
Shipping traffic in the Red Sea has declined significantly following Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities, according to data released by Kpler. The data showed that only 11 ships carrying raw materials passed through the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Sunday, marking the lowest level in months.
The decrease in shipping traffic is attributed to Houthi interventions aimed at imposing a blockade on Saudi exports, which has exacerbated the conflict between the US and Iran. This disruption has led to a spike in actual crude oil shipment prices in the Gulf, Europe, and Africa to their highest levels in two months.
Among the ships that passed through the Bab al-Mandab Strait were seven oil tankers, three of which entered the Red Sea. Two of them were very large crude carriers heading to the Yanbu port to load Saudi oil, while the third ship was linked to Russia.