Dhaka, August 5 (V7N)- Two Pakistani-flagged oil tankers have safely transited the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait despite the blockade imposed by Yemen's Houthi movement, according to a maritime intelligence agency.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Wednesday that the two Aframax-class crude oil tankers departed Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port carrying crude oil with their tracking systems switched on and completed the voyage without coming under attack.
Windward noted that since the Houthis announced a blockade on July 20, most Saudi-linked oil tankers not associated with China have either been attacked or forced to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing transit times and shipping costs.
The safe passage of the Pakistani vessels comes amid heightened tensions in one of the world's busiest maritime trade corridors, where commercial shipping has faced repeated security threats in recent weeks.
Earlier, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned the Houthi movement that any attack on a Pakistani-flagged vessel would be regarded as a threat to Pakistan's national security.
The latest development is being closely watched by global energy markets and the international shipping industry as concerns over maritime security in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways continue to affect global trade and energy supplies.
END/SMA/AJ
