12 Saudi-flagged oil tankers and bulk carriers are currently avoiding the Bab al-Mandeb route and instead taking the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, maritime intelligence firm Windward reported.
The company said several Saudi vessels have changed their declared destinations multiple times over the past two weeks, while some did not disclose their final destinations until after passing South Africa.
Windward stated that rerouting a shipping fleet around a major maritime chokepoint, coupled with keeping destinations unclear, indicates risks linked to the maritime ban imposed on Saudi vessels.
The company added that repeated route changes and delayed disclosure of final destinations reflect uncertainty over the safety of using the shorter Red Sea route.
The rerouting comes amid renewed tensions between Yemen and Saudi Arabia and follows Sana’a’s announcement of a maritime blockade targeting Saudi shipping in response to continued Saudi aggression and blockade against Yemen. The Yemeni Armed Forces have warned that Saudi-flagged vessels using the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb would be subject to military action.
The Bab al-Mandeb is a critical chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major route for energy and commercial shipments between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Avoiding the waterway and sailing around the Cape of Good Hope adds significant distance and time to voyages, increasing fuel, insurance and operating costs.
