Saudi Arabia-Bound Supertanker U-Turns Before Houthi Chokepoint

By Weilun Soon

Jul 25, 2026 (Bloomberg) –A Hong Kong-flagged supertanker bound for Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu has U-turned just before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, where recent attacks were launched by the Houthis as part of a blockade on ships linked to the kingdom.

The empty very large crude carrier New Champion made a dramatic about-turn in the Gulf of Aden Friday, after idling there during its voyage toward the Red Sea, according to ship-tracking data. The vessel had been chartered by a Chinese buyer to pick up a cargo of crude from Yanbu, shipping fixtures show.