DUBAI — Several oil tankers changed course in the Red Sea on Wednesday after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement warned shipping companies against sailing to Saudi Arabian ports, adding to disruption across one of the world's most important energy trade routes as regional conflict intensified.
Ship-tracking data from LSEG and MarineTraffic, together with analysis by British maritime risk management firm Vanguard, showed four tankers altered their routes. Two signaled the Suez Canal as their new destination, while two others indicated open waters in the Red Sea as they awaited further instructions, according to the data. A vehicle carrier also appeared to turn away in the Gulf of Aden after previously indicating Saudi Arabia's port of Jeddah as its destination.
The latest course changes followed Tuesday's reversal by three tankers carrying Saudi crude bound for China and India, which turned north toward the Suez Canal rather than continue through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait after Houthi warnings.
The European Union's Aspides naval mission advised vessels with links to Israel, the United States or Saudi Arabia that they faced an elevated threat in the area and recommended measures including reducing electronic transmissions where operationally feasible, according to maritime security guidance.
The Houthi warnings have increased concerns over the security of Red Sea shipping at a time when vessel traffic is also under pressure in the Strait of Hormuz, another critical energy chokepoint. The extent of any longer-term impact on oil flows and commercial shipping remained unclear as of Wednesday, and routing decisions continued to vary by vessel and operator.
