Shipping & Freight #tankers#oil
Transponders Off: Saudi Crude Tankers for India Exit Red Sea 'Dark' to Avoid Houthi Blockade
Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude to Indian refiners—the Suezmax Amazon and Aframax Rodos—switched off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to safely exit the Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, after Houthi rebels announced a blockade on Saudi shipments. The vessels, managed by Dynacom Tankers, changed course southward on July 22 and are now heading to India, with Rodos due at Mangalore on August 1 and Amazon expected in Chennai in early August. This is the first known instance of 'dark' sailing for Saudi crude tankers to India since the blockade began.
Jul 30, 2026 1 source