Six Saudi supertankers divert around Africa following Houthi maritime threats

Six Saudi-flagged Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) have diverted away from the Gulf of Aden to voyage around the Cape of Good Hope, according to AIS ship-tracking data from LSEG and MarineTraffic. The empty supertankers—returning from discharge terminals in Asia—altered course in formation rather than attempting transit through the southern Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint. The tactical diversion follows the Iran-aligned Houthi movement’s declaration of a maritime embargo against Saudi shipping, which recently prompted London’s insurance market to expand its designated high-risk area in regional waters. Maritime trade analysts estimate that circumventing southern Africa around the Cape will add at least 25 sailing days to the vessels’ return legs to Red Sea Saudi loading terminals, further tightening global tanker availability and compounding regional logistics delays, said a report.

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