Saudi Arabia is shifting its crude oil exports to a safer northern route through the Mediterranean, as Iranian-backed militants continue to target vessels in the strategic southern Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Shipowners, including Sinokor Group, are assisting in transporting Saudi crude out of the Red Sea via this more secure corridor. Since Yemen's Houthi rebels began attacking ships loading at the Red Sea's Yanbu export terminal, Saudi state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco has ramped up exports from Mediterranean ports such as Sidi Kerir.

Over the past month, vessels operated by South Korea's Sinokor, Greece's Dynacom, and Norway's DHT Management AS have been running back-and-forth voyages between Yanbu and Ain Sokhna. The crude is unloaded at Ain Sokhna and then transported northward via pipeline, bypassing the volatile southern route entirely.

This logistical pivot highlights the growing impact of regional instability on global energy supply chains, as shippers seek to safeguard cargoes while maintaining steady export flows.