Current Affairs
Supertanker Reverses Course Before Houthi-Controlled Red Sea Chokepoint
A Hong Kong-flagged supertanker chartered by a Chinese buyer to collect crude from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port reversed course in the Gulf of Aden on Friday before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, where Houthis have launched attacks. The move reflects growing insurance concerns and economic pressures on crude flows, which averaged around 520,000 barrels per day this year. The vessel, New Champion, now heads eastward at approximately 16 knots.
