893 Saudi’s Yanbu port sees busy days despite Houthi threats

Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia witnessed its busiest day in recent weeks despite ongoing Houthi threats to regional shipping. The port, a pivotal export hub for Saudi Arabia, saw more than 8.4 million barrels of crude exported on Friday alone, one of the highest daily volumes since the Iran conflict began in February. This was made possible as some tankers, including those carrying Russian crude, continued to transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait with their tracking systems active.

However, many Saudi crude shipments have been rerouted to avoid the threats, with some vessels now sailing around Africa. Saudi Arabia has also redirected part of its Asia-bound exports to Egypt's Sidi Kerir terminal on the Mediterranean coast. Satellite imagery revealed five Very Large Crude Carriers docked at Yanbu on Saturday, marking a potential record day.

The port has become crucial for Saudi crude exports after the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz shipping. Despite the security concerns, including a recent attack on an LNG tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, crude exports from the Persian Gulf have continued, largely with transponders switched off.