Bahri VLCC Struck as Houthis Continue Attacks Against Saudi Interests

Saudi large crude oil tanker — Houthis took credit for an attack on a Saudi VLCC tanker in the northern Red Sea (Bahri file photo)

A Saudi Arabia-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) was struck by what the Houthis are reporting was a ballistic missile while the vessel was off the oil terminal at Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. There are no reports of injuries among the crew, but it continues to pressure Saudi Arabia, which has been using Yanbu to supplement export capacity due to the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The crude oil tanker Amzan (320,926 dwt) reported the strike on August 24. Built in 2014, the reports indicate the ship was 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu. The tanker said that there was a fire on the main deck after the strike. Security firm Ambrey said the Egyptian Navy had responded to the vessel's calls.

The Houthi spokesperson took credit for the attack, saying it was part of the ongoing naval blockade it was imposing. The Houthis asserted it was part of a wider wave of attacks that also included a Saudi military convoy and an attack on a base. They claimed to have destroyed 10 trucks loaded with weapons coming from Saudi Arabia through a combination of missiles and drones.

Before the Houthis launched the blockade of Saudi tankers, reports indicated Saudi Arabia was exporting four million barrels per day from Yanbu. In August, the Houthis extended the attacks to the northern Red Sea. Lloyd’s List intelligence calculates that exports have fallen by at least a third from Yanbu since the attacks began in the northern Red Sea.

Last week there were reports that Saudi Arabia had established a shuttle service transporting crude to Egypt, where pipelines were transporting it to the Mediterranean. The estimates, however, were exports of around one million barrels per day. Tankers have also been heading north to the Suez Canal, but the larger vessels have to offload a portion of their cargo to make the transit, and it is creating much higher shipping costs and delays due to the longer distance.

The attacks against Saudi Arabia appear to be part of a Houthi campaign to force the Saudis back to the bargaining table for the resolution of the long-running civil war in Yemen. The Maritime Executive has reported that the Houthis appear to be pressuring Saudi Arabia for better financial terms.