The maritime tracking company “Windward” revealed on Friday that 12 tankers and bulk cargo ships flying the Saudi flag have avoided sailing via the Bab Al-Mandeb route, for fear of being targeted following the Yemeni blockade decision on Saudi navigation in the Red Sea.
Exclusive Follow-ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:
The company indicated in its report that those tankers have currently redirected their course to go around the Cape of Good Hope, forcing them to undertake a costlier and longer journey.
The company explained that a number of Saudi ships have changed their declared destination more than once over the past two weeks, while some ships didn’t determine their final destination until after passing the South African coast, a behavior reflecting a state of uncertainty regarding the safe routes that can be taken.
According to the company, shipping companies’ rerouting of their fleets away from maritime chokepoints, while keeping final destinations vague, represents an indicator of the risks associated with the Yemeni naval blockade on Saudi ships.
These risks push ships to take longer and more costly routes to avoid passing through Bab Al-Mandeb, in light of Sana’a’s decision to prevent Saudi ships from passing through the strait, within what it describes as the “siege-for-siege” equation.
جميع الحقوق محفوظة للخبر اليمني 2025م