Bab al-Mandab traffic disrupted, especially Saudi shipments

Saudi exports through the Bab al-Mandab Strait are continuing to suffer, with weekly traffic since the start of August at under a third of this year's seven-day average, data shows.

Traffic through Bab al-Mandab has been disrupted following recent Houthi gains on the Red Sea coast, hitting Saudi exports particularly hard.

The Iran-backed group now controls the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports, as the wider Middle East war chokes off the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.

Maritime tracking firm Kpler data shows that in the past seven days just five laden vessels carrying Saudi products have left the Red Sea via the vital route.

The figure has not been higher since the week of July 24, when 11 vessels laden with Saudi products exited the Red Sea through the strait.

Beyond Saudi shipments, crude exports leaving the Red Sea through the strait are lower than usual.

Outbound transits by ships carrying crude -- the most-transited commodity moving through the strait -- were below average over the past seven days.

Around 3.4 million barrels per day were exported since September 11, compared to an average of around 4.4 million barrels per day since January 1.

The Houthis say there is no threat to navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait except for Saudi vessels but any attacks in the waterway have the potential to make it less attractive to shippers.

Kpler data suggests that commodity tanker traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait over the past seven days was lower than usual but had not stopped.

Around 24 ships passed through the strait in both directions per day over the past week.

On average Kpler recorded 31 crossings per day since January.