Saudi Oil Tanker Journey Doubles as Navigators Skirt Bab al-Mandab Strait
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, citing Al-Masirah news agency and maritime intelligence firm Windward, a Saudi oil tanker currently navigating via the Cape of Good Hope is experiencing a journey duration of 56 days. This vessel is compelled to circumnavigate the region, more than doubling its travel time compared to a direct passage through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which normally takes 24 days.
Concurrently, shipping data reveals a notable decrease in vessel traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This trend follows reports of attacks on commercial shipping and ongoing threats from the Houthi movement against vessels linked to Saudi Arabia, in retaliation for the blockade of Yemen.
Data published by the maritime tracking firm Kpler indicates a significant drop in the transit of cargo ships through the Bab al-Mandab Strait in recent days. Kpler’s statistics show that the number of vessels passing through this waterway fell to 18 on Sunday, a sharp decline from the 28 and 27 vessels recorded on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
