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Chinese tanker reportedly cleared to pass Bab al-Mandab after Houthi threats

The Houthis declared a blockade on shipping to and from Saudi Arabia on Monday, and a Saudi oil tanker was attacked on Wednesday, triggering a fire onboard.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

The Houthi militia in Yemen appears to be permitting some vessels to transit the Bab al-Mandab strait at the mouth of the Red Sea despite its blockade of shipping to Saudi Arabia, according to experts cited by South China Morning Post.

South China Morning Post reports that a Chinese oil tanker operated by Cosco Shipping, the VLCC Xin Long Yang, has been granted permission to pass through the waterway, citing trade publication Lloyd’s List. It said Chinese tankers returning from the Saudi port of Yanbu may be able to negotiate passage with the Iranian-backed Houthis on a case-by-case basis.

The Institute for the Study of War has counted seven ships that altered their course to avoid the Bab al-Mandab after Houthi threats, the article said. The militia declared a “blockade” on maritime traffic to and from Saudi Arabia on Monday, about a week after a new confrontation with neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which has been at war with the militia for more than a decade.

Late on Wednesday, a Saudi oil tanker, Encelia, was attacked and a fire broke out onboard, South China Morning Post reported.

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