Saudi Aramco said two of the Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) belonging to the Saudi National Shipping Company, each carrying two million barrels of crude oil, were attacked by the Houthi terrorist militias in the Red Sea on Wednesday morning, after crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The attack resulted in minor damage to one of the two tankers, and fortunately, there were no casualties or oil spillages into the sea, according to a statement by the Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid al-Falih said on Thursday that the Kingdom would temporarily and with immediate effect suspend all shipments of crude oil via the Bab el-Mandeb until navigation through the Strait is safe. He stressed that the threats posed by the Houthi militias to the crude oil carriers affect the freedom of international trade and maritime navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
Saudi Aramco is the world’s leading integrated company in the field of energy and chemicals. The company produces one in eight barrels of oil supplies worldwide while continuing to develop new energy technologies.
“Saudi Aramco sets its sights on the reliability and sustainability of its resources, helping to promote long-term stability and growth throughout the world, the statement said.
The Bab el-Mandeb is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Source: International Islamic News Agency