International Maritime Report: Yemeni Ban Threatens to Seal Off Saudi Oil Export Outlets via the Red Sea

NYN | Reports and Analyses 

The specialized shipping and maritime affairs news outlet, Sea-Trade Maritime News, confirmed that operations carried out by Sana’a government forces in the Red Sea have demonstrated—since late 2023—their ability to impact global trade flows. This comes after most international shipping companies were forced to avoid this vital waterway and reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, leading to surging transport costs and extended delivery times for goods reaching global markets.

Mounting Pressure on Saudi Oil Exports

The report explained that any new escalation targeting Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea would carry broad economic repercussions, particularly given the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This situation presents Saudi oil exports with simultaneous challenges on both sides—the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea—forcing energy companies to seek alternative routes to maintain supply flows.

Yanbu Port in the Crosshairs

The website noted that Saudi Arabia has recently increased its reliance on transporting crude oil via pipelines to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, where tankers bound for Asian markets are loaded. However, these vessels still must transit the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which falls within the operational scope of the naval forces aligned with the Sana’a government.

The report added that any disruption to the movement of Saudi oil tankers through the Red Sea could exacerbate the Kingdom’s economic losses, especially at a time when its oil exports are experiencing a noticeable decline compared to previous years.

Surging Reliance on the Yanbu Line

The report indicated that the volume of oil transported via pipelines to the Yanbu terminal has quadrupled since the outbreak of the war between the United States and Iran. Meanwhile, data from the analytics firm Kpler showed that approximately 75% of Saudi crude oil and condensate exports during the first half of July departed via Yanbu Port—a clear signal of Riyadh’s growing dependence on the Red Sea outlet to bypass navigational complexities in the Gulf.

Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab: Dual Pressures

According to the report, Saudi oil exports through the Gulf partially recovered following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran. However, the re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has imposed fresh challenges on tanker traffic amid persistent tensions in the maritime corridor. This reinforces the strategic weight of Bab al-Mandab as one of the most critical chokepoints affecting global energy security, while heightening fears that expanding disruptions in the Red Sea could reverberate across international oil markets.