The Houthi movement in Yemen has declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia, prompting tankers operating in the Red Sea to change their routes. Asian oil companies are now considering long detours to transport Saudi crude oil via the Suez Canal and around Africa's Cape of Good Hope.
According to Bloomberg and Reuters, six vessels altered their routes within 24 hours following the Houthi's warning of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.
Previously, the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) sent an email to global shipping companies warning that "all vessels are prohibited from loading and unloading cargo at Saudi ports." Houthi-operated Saba News reported that ships changed their routes after receiving the warning, but did not disclose specific vessel details.
Bloomberg reported that following the warning, some tankers carrying Saudi crude oil either halted operations in the Red Sea or changed course northward toward the Suez Canal. Several Chinese vessels and a tanker managed by the Greek shipping company Dynacom also turned back.
As the Houthi threat escalates, Asian oil companies are exploring options to transport crude oil from Yanbu, a Saudi port on the Red Sea, northward through the Suez Canal and around the Cape of Good Hope back to Asia.
This plan represents a significant detour compared to the existing route that involves traveling south from Yanbu through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Hyundai Oilbank is reportedly seeking very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to load oil from Yanbu for transport to South Korea. They are also considering using Egypt's Sumed pipeline in conjunction with the Suez Canal due to draft restrictions.
According to financial information firm LSEG and shipping data provider Kpler, the Liberia-flagged tanker Rhodes, which was heading to India's western coast from Yanbu, also changed its destination to the Suez Canal.
Analysts believe that using such detour routes could extend transport times by up to four weeks, increasing freight and fuel costs.
Matt Smith, head of commodity research at Kpler, stated, "The change in tanker operations indicates that shipping companies are taking the Houthi threat seriously."
As tensions rise in the region, the Red Sea has emerged as a critical alternative transport route, especially with disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran conflict. Last month, Saudi oil and petroleum product volumes passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait exceeded 4 million barrels per day, marking a record high.
Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), warned that threats to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which has become increasingly important as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbate supply uncertainties, stating, "We cannot afford to be complacent about energy security."
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, responding to the Houthi declaration of a blockade in the Red Sea by saying, "This has not happened before, but if it does, we will handle it."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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