Tanker carrying Russian cargo reroutes around Africa after Red Sea U-turn

NEW DELHI – A Panama-flagged tanker carrying Russian naphtha attempted to pass through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait in the last week of July before changing course to sail ‌around Africa ⁠instead, ⁠trade sources said and shipping data from LSEG showed.

The Suezmax vessel, Sea Icon, loaded at least 100,000 tons of naphtha from Russian port of Ust-Luga on July 1 for delivery to Asia, ⁠the data ‌showed.

Also read: Saudi oil tanker heads to India as Red Sea, Hormuz traffic slows amid attacks

The tanker is controlled ​by ​the Kuwait-based Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport ⁠Company. The company did not immediately respond ​to Reuters’ email for comment.

Upon nearing the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden that has seen repeated attacks on shipping last ‌week, the tanker made a U-turn and exited the area.

As of ​0400 GMT ​on ⁠Monday, the ship was signalling Cape Town, South Africa, as its destination, LSEG ship-tracking data showed.

Traffic through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait has thinned after the Iran-aligned Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on July 20.