Saudi Red Sea Crude Exports Go Dark Amidst Houthi Attacks
Satellite images show fewer tankers at Saudi terminals as Houthi threats push more vessels to stop transmitting position signals.
- Tankers carrying Saudi crude are increasingly operating 'dark' by disabling tracking signals to avoid attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, complicating efforts to monitor the kingdom's oil exports.
- The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20, prompting a nearly 90% drop in exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu during the week of August 3.
- At Egypt's Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir, loadings averaged a record 2.17 million bpd last week, around 50% higher than the previous week, with about 90% of volumes Saudi crude.
- Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser cited alternatives like the Sumed pipeline, yet Kpler director Matt Smith warned this is causing a "domino effect" in global crude flows.
- Analysts now rely on satellite imagery to track shipments, as Smith described the shift toward dark voyages as a "distinct change in strategy" that will persist as a new trend.
25 Articles
25 Articles
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