Saudi Oil Tankers Detour Around Africa Amid Houthi Threats

Saudi oil tankers have abandoned the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Arabian Sea and are sailing south around Africa, according to vessel-tracking data. This comes after Houthi threats against Saudi shipping led the country to redirect its crude exports toward Egypt.

The six empty Saudi oil tankers are showing destinations such as Gibraltar or South African ports like Durban or Algoa Bay, all of which serve as major refueling stops, per the data.

For supertankers, taking this route around Africa would extend the voyage by at least two weeks compared with going through Bab el-Mandeb northward to the Suez Canal.