Six Saudi supertankers have changed course in the Gulf of Aden, choosing the much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope instead of passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. According to vessel-tracking data from LSEG and MarineTraffic, the decision follows escalating threats by Yemen’s Houthi movement against ships linked to Saudi Arabia.
The vessels, operated by the Saudi shipping company Bahri, were sailing without cargo after departing ports in Asia. Each tanker is capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of crude oil. Shipping industry sources said the rerouting was taken solely as a precaution to reduce the risk of attacks.
Maritime analysts estimate that sailing around southern Africa will add at least 25 days to each voyage, significantly increasing transportation costs and delaying oil deliveries. The move comes as marine insurers continue expanding high-risk zones in the Red Sea following a series of attacks on commercial shipping.
On July 20, the Iran-backed Houthis announced what they described as a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and warned that ships connected to the kingdom could become targets. Since then, several oil tankers have altered their routes, while others have temporarily switched off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to reduce the risk of being tracked.
Energy market analysts warn that if tensions continue to escalate, the disruption could affect global oil supplies, increase freight costs, and place additional pressure on international energy prices. The Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remain among the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors, carrying a significant share of global oil and commercial trade between the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
Sources: Reuters, LSEG, MarineTraffic.
