Saudi Oil Tankers Navigate Volatile Shipping Routes Amid Houthi Embargo

Two tankers carrying Saudi oil sailed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait over the weekend, but traffic in the Strait of Hormuz slowed due to reports of vessel attacks. The number of commodity vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait dropped to 18 on Sunday from 27 on Saturday and 28 on Friday, according to Kpler data. This comes after the Iran-aligned Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20.

The Suezmax tanker Lesvos and Very Large Crude Carrier Desh Vaibhav exited the Red Sea with their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) transponders switched off, according to data. The Malta-flagged Lesvos was carrying around 1 million barrels of Saudi crude, while the Desh Vaibhav, carrying 2 million barrels, is headed to India's Sikka port where Reliance Industries typically receives crude.

A Panama-flagged tanker carrying Russian naphtha has changed course and will sail around Africa instead of going through the Red Sea. This development highlights concerns about security in the region following reports of vessel attacks and the imposition of a maritime embargo by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia.