Tanker traffic at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port falls by a third, report says

Live Blog Update| War on Iran 22 August 2026 01:56 BST Tanker traffic at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia's main Red Sea oil terminal, has fallen by more than a third since Yemen’s Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi vessels through the Bab al-Mandeb strait on July 20, Lloyd's List Intelligence reports. To deal with the blockade, Saudi energy giant Aramco relies on a three-part operation to ship crude: shuttle tankers carry crude from Yanbu to Egypt’s Ain Sukhna, the SUMED pipeline pipes it across to Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir, and vessels reload there for onward delivery, according to the report. While the route keeps Saudi crude flowing, it requires more tankers and adds weeks to voyages for Asian buyers.