At least one oil tanker transporting Saudi crude has navigated the Bab el-Mandeb Strait with its transponder disabled, according to reports from energy analysts tracking maritime traffic. The incident underscores escalating risks in one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints, where shipping interests face mounting pressure following announcements of a Houthi blockade on Saudi exports and recent attacks on vessels operating offshore Yemen.
The Merbabu, a Greek-owned tanker, utilized the so-called dark mode to traverse the strategic waterway undetected. This practice, in which ships disable automatic identification systems, has become increasingly common among shippers and operators navigating high-risk maritime corridors. Similar tactics have been employed in the Strait of Hormuz and other contested passages where vessels face targeting threats from hostile actors.
The incident reflects broader concerns about freedom of navigation in the Red Sea as geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt global energy supply chains. For oil markets, such evasive transit methods signal heightened uncertainty around crude shipments from the world's largest oil exporter, potentially influencing energy pricing and shipping logistics strategies.