Houthi threats force Saudi to reroute oil, extend Asia transit and costs

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, is adjusting its crude shipping routes due to threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen. In response, the kingdom is rerouting its crude through the Egyptian pipeline and the Strait of Hormuz. On the 26th, the country reduced crude shipments through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the Red Sea's southern end, as the Houthi rebels had declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi-linked ships.

This maritime crisis forced Saudi Arabia to reroute its crude production from eastern oil fields to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast, loaded onto tankers for export via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Europe and Asia. However, with the Red Sea becoming increasingly risky, Saudi Arabia is forced to explore alternative routes. One such route involves shipping crude north along the Red Sea, discharging it at Egypt’s Ain Sokhna terminal, and transporting it through the SUMED pipeline to Sidi Kerir in the Mediterranean.

This alternative route has increased crude shipments via the SUMED pipeline from under 650,000 barrels a day in June to over 1.9 million barrels this month. However, this route requires longer transit times and higher fuel and operating costs, totaling at least $5 per barrel. Analysts predict that Asia will either need to source crude from other regions or pay more for it.

In addition, Saudi Arabia is boosting crude loadings at Persian Gulf export terminals, with four vessels anchored at Ras Tanura and Ju’aymah facilities on the 25th, the highest since late June. Despite these efforts, Saudi Arabia's total crude exports remain below pre-war levels, with monthly exports averaging 3.23 million barrels a day this month, marking the lowest since the Iran war began.