Five tankers reroute in Red Sea after Houthi threat to Saudi-bound shipping

LONDON: Five tankers changed course in the Red Sea on Wednesday after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis warned ships against calling at Saudi Arabian ports, according to ship-tracking data.

Two vessels indicated the Suez Canal as their new destination, while separate tracking updates showed two of the rerouted tankers heading towards open waters in the Red Sea.

The Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday, raising concerns over energy supplies and global trade as the United States’ conflict with Iran continues.

Shipbroker Clarksons said the threat had begun to affect tanker activity, with some vessels carrying crude from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port turning north towards the Suez Canal instead of sailing south through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Other ships were holding position while awaiting instructions.

The European Union’s Aspides naval mission warned that vessels linked to Israel, the United States or Saudi Arabia faced a higher risk of attack and should avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat eased.

It also advised ships that had recently called at Saudi ports to reduce their electronic footprint by limiting Automatic Identification System transmissions and other publicly available information that could assist targeting.

A vehicle carrier, Liu Jiang Kou, appeared to turn away in the Gulf of Aden after previously listing the Saudi port of Jeddah as its destination. Its manager, China’s COSCO Shipping group, did not immediately comment.

The Philoxenia products tanker anchored near the Suez Canal while continuing to show Yanbu as its destination. The Alexandros tanker also stopped near Suez after shipping fixtures had listed it to load at Yanbu.

Greece’s Dynacom Tankers, which manages Alexandros, did not respond to a request for comment, while Singapore-based Formica Navigation, manager of Philoxenia, could not be reached.

Greece’s shipping ministry separately warned Greek-operated vessels of heightened risks and asked them to coordinate with the Aspides naval mission.

The latest movements followed U-turns by three tankers carrying Saudi crude to China and India on Tuesday. The vessels headed towards the Suez Canal instead of continuing along the Yemeni coast. One was the COSCO-managed Xin Long Yang.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait has served as an alternative route for Saudi exports since disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Any closure of the Red Sea’s southern gateway would remove that option and increase fears of supply shortages.

Shipbroker Braemar said the Houthi warning had raised doubts about the viability of eastbound shipments from Yanbu, the outlet for Saudi Arabia’s east-west oil pipeline.

Sending cargoes from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and around to Asian buyers would add about 10,000 nautical miles and 34 days to a voyage.

The longer route could increase freight costs by more than $5 million per shipment, excluding fuel and insurance, while Suez Canal transit charges would add around $1 million per vessel.

Several tankers remained close to Yanbu’s anchorage on Wednesday.

Red Sea shipping has yet to recover fully from Houthi attacks that began in November 2023. The group said the campaign was launched in support of Palestinians during the Gaza war and halted attacks on commercial vessels following the ceasefire last October.

The Houthis have now warned shipping companies against loading or unloading cargo at Saudi ports. Maritime security sources said ships in the Red Sea had received separate warnings since Monday that vessels heading to Saudi Arabia could be targeted.