Oil tankers turn around, avoid Red Sea following warnings by Yemen's Houthis

Four oil tankers changed course in the Red Sea on Wednesday, with two rerouting towards the Suez Canal, following warnings from Yemen's Houthi group against sailing to Saudi Arabian ports. Ship-tracking data revealed the shift in navigation, highlighting the growing impact of Houthi actions on maritime trade.

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The threat of Houthi hostile actions against Saudi Arabia ... has begun to have an overall effect on tanker activity.

The Iran-aligned Houthis announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia on Monday, potentially opening a new front in regional tensions and increasing threats to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Persian Gulf. Ship brokers noted that the threat of Houthi hostile actions has begun to affect tanker activity, with several vessels loaded in Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port now heading toward the Suez Canal instead of south toward the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

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Ships with links to Israel, the United States or Saudi Arabia are at a higher risk of being attacked by the Houthis and are advised to avoid voyages through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat level decreases.

Advisories from the European Union's Aspides naval force warned that ships with links to Israel, the United States, or Saudi Arabia face a higher risk of Houthi attacks. These vessels are advised to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat level decreases. The advisory also recommended that any vessel that recently called at Saudi ports should minimize its electronic footprint by reducing ship-tracking transmissions and limiting publicly accessible digital information that could aid targeting.

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Any vessel that recently called at, loaded cargo or discharged cargo at Saudi ports should "reduce its electronic footprint by minimizing AIS (ship-tracking) transmissions and limiting any publicly accessible digital information that could facilitate targeting."

This development raises concerns about the viability of eastbound routes from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port, a critical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. A closure of the Red Sea's southern gateway would significantly impact Saudi Arabia's shipping capabilities and heighten fears of potential energy shortages.

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This (Houthi) embargo raises serious questions about the viability of eastbound routes from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port – the outlet for its east-west pipeline.