Saudi Oil Loading at Yanbu Port Drops by 40% Amid Yemen’s Maritime Blockade

A maritime intelligence company has reported that crude oil loading at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port has decreased by approximately 40% since July 19, a decline coinciding with an intensified naval blockade by Yemen.

The Al-Masirah news agency, citing the company Windward, stated that maritime data indicates a significant drop in loading activities at the Red Sea oil port.

Meanwhile, a Yemeni source told the Al-Mayadeen network that the country’s armed forces have targeted three Saudi oil tankers in the past 48 hours. According to this source, since Monday, 16 Saudi ships have been forced to turn back after being denied passage.

The source also claimed that since the implementation of the blockade, no Saudi oil tanker has been able to pass through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in either direction, and the shipping ban on Saudi vessels remains in effect.

The naval tensions between the two sides have escalated while Yemen asserts that its actions are in response to the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia. Yanbu port is considered one of Saudi Arabia’s key oil export centers on its western coast.