Saudi Oil Tankers Go Dark in Bab el-Mandeb Transit Amid Houthi Threat
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Tankers laden with Saudi crude are increasingly transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait with their transponders off, Bloomberg reported, citing vessel-tracking data. The Greece-owned Lesvos and the Indian-flagged Desh Vaibhav went dark near Yanbu on Saturday before reappearing off Oman on Monday. At least five tankers were berthed at Yanbu on its busiest day since the Houthis threatened Saudi shipping two weeks ago, as the kingdom reroutes exports to avoid the chokepoint.
Dark Transits and Rerouting
The Lesvos and Desh Vaibhav, having loaded Saudi crude at Yanbu, are believed to have passed through Bab el-Mandeb with their AIS transponders off, re-emerging near Oman on Monday. Satellite images from Saturday show at least five tankers docked at Yanbu, the highest count since the Houthis threatened Saudi oil exports two weeks ago. Saudi Arabia is redirecting some shipments north to Egypt and the Suez Canal, while other vessels increasingly go dark during the southward transit.
Houthi Threats and Saudi Response
Following the Houthi announcement two weeks ago that they would target Saudi oil shipments, Riyadh began re-routing exports. Last week, six tankers turned away from Bab el-Mandeb in the Arabian Sea, signaling destinations such as Gibraltar or the South African ports of Durban and Algoa Bay. Separately, more than half a dozen empty supertankers were heading to Egypt's Sidi Kerir terminal to pick up Saudi crude, bypassing the threatened strait.
What's Next
The Houthis are expected to continue threatening Red Sea shipping, with no diplomatic resolution in sight. It remains unclear how long Saudi Arabia will maintain its re-routed export strategy or whether further attacks will disrupt global oil flows through the region.
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Saudi Oil Tankers Go Dark in Bab el-Mandeb Transit Amid Houthi Threat
