Red Sea Tanker Traffic Hits Monthly Low Amid Houthi Blockade

Shipping data from Kpler confirms that seven oil tankers accounted for the day's transit, split between four outbound and three inbound vessels. Among the ships entering the Red Sea were two very large crude carriers heading to the Saudi port of Yanbu, alongside a Russian-linked vessel. Outbound traffic included cargoes destined for China and Pakistan, carrying crude from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Russia.

Risk mitigation has become the primary operational strategy for fleets in the region. Some operators are ordering vessels to turn north toward the Suez Canal or abandoning planned entries entirely. Others have resorted to disabling transponders to evade detection. Maritime intelligence firm Windward reports that Yanbu port has shifted from standard AIS-active operations to "AIS-dark" status for berthed tankers to shield them from Houthi targeting lists. Despite reported signs of de-escalation elsewhere, transit volumes at both Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz remain suppressed.