A supertanker carrying Saudi crude diverted to the longer Suez route to avoid Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, shipping data shows.
A Saudi crude oil tanker, the Olympic Luck, has rerouted through the Suez Canal to avoid Houthi threats in the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The vessel, partially loaded at Yanbu, transited the canal late Sunday, opting for the longer Mediterranean and African route to Asia.
The diversion follows heightened risks to shipping in the Red Sea, a critical chokepoint for global oil flows. Earlier this month, attacks disrupted traffic, though most tankers had continued using the strait. The move signals growing caution among vessel operators.
No immediate market reaction was reported, but prolonged disruptions could tighten Middle East crude supplies to Asia, potentially lifting freight rates and regional oil prices.