The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused some oil tankers to change their routes, picking up crude oil and cargo at ports on Saudi Arabia’s western coast and then sailing through the Red Sea instead, despite risks of attacks and rising freight costs.
On 18 March 2026, Tokyo-based shipping analysis firm Atlas revealed that tensions in the Middle East have led some oil tankers to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route, opting instead to navigate through the Red Sea.
It stated that over the past two weeks, several foreign oil tankers have altered their routes to receive crude oil from the Yanbu port on Saudi Arabia’s western coast, opposite the Persian Gulf, before sailing through the Red Sea rather than the Strait of Hormuz.
This route change reflects efforts to avoid risky areas. Normally, ships leave the Persian Gulf and pass through the Strait of Hormuz to reach Asia, but the new route acts as a longer 'detour,' using Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast as the oil pickup point. However, this new path is not entirely safe, as it passes through high-risk zones like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, threatened by Yemen’s Houthi group.
The report noted freight rates have increased two to three times amid worries over oil transport disruptions. Many Japanese shipping companies continue to avoid the new route due to safety concerns, while the Japanese Shipowners Association has issued warnings to steer clear of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden because of attack risks.
Source: NHK