Supertanker U-Turns Near Houthi-Threatened Red Sea Chokepoint

Tanker Reverses Course Amid Blockade Risk

A Hong Kong-flagged very large crude carrier, New Champion, made an abrupt U-turn in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, just before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, according to a Bloomberg report published by gCaptain. The empty vessel had been idling in the area while en route to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, where it was chartered by a Chinese buyer to load crude, shipping fixtures show.

After its reversal, the tanker was tracked heading eastward at close to top speed of around 16 knots. The report notes it is unclear exactly what prompted the maneuver, though it comes as some insurance providers have reportedly become unwilling to cover vessels calling at Saudi Arabia given the risk of attacks, according to ship and insurance brokers cited in the report.

Widening Fallout From the Houthi Blockade

The incident illustrates the growing economic impact of the Houthi naval blockade against Saudi Arabia-linked shipping, which has recently included attacks near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. According to the report, Western vessels have generally been cautious about entering the Red Sea for Saudi cargoes, while Chinese-bound ships had continued receiving roughly 520,000 barrels per day from Yanbu this year, per Kpler data — flows that increased during the Iran war as Saudi Arabia rerouted crude away from the Strait of Hormuz.

New Champion is described as possibly the first Chinese tanker to change course in the Red Sea region in apparent response to the heightened risk. Earlier in the week, two Chinese-owned supertankers reportedly exited Bab el-Mandeb safely with Saudi cargoes and transponders active, marking what the report calls the first such unimpeded departures since the blockade was announced. Other vessels, New Explorer and New Pearl, were said to be approaching or having just left Yanbu with Saudi crude.

Alternative Routing and Rising Costs

Some operators with Western links have reportedly chosen to avoid the southern Red Sea exit altogether, opting instead for the longer and costlier route via the Suez Canal and around Africa. One example cited is the tanker Gas King, carrying cooking fuel to Japan, which exited via the canal on Friday; its estimated arrival in Japan has reportedly shifted from early August to late September. Other vessels have reportedly transited Bab el-Mandeb or approached Yanbu with transponders switched off to avoid tracking.

According to Equasis data cited in the report, New Champion, New Explorer and New Pearl are managed by Associated Maritime Co (H.K.) Ltd, which did not respond to a request for comment sent outside business hours.