By Weilun Soon
July 25, 2026 (Bloomberg) – A supertanker registered in Hong Kong, headed for the Red Sea port of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, made a sudden U-turn just before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint. This decision follows recent attacks by the Houthis, part of their blockade targeting ships associated with Saudi Arabia.
The large crude carrier, named New Champion, turned around dramatically in the Gulf of Aden on Friday after pausing during its journey toward the Red Sea, according to tracking data. The ship had been chartered by a Chinese buyer to collect crude oil from Yanbu. It is now moving east at a near top speed of about 16 knots.
The reason behind New Champion's U-turn is unclear. Recently, some shipping insurance providers have hesitated to offer coverage for vessels going to Saudi Arabia because of the potential for attacks, as reported by shipping and insurance brokers.
This U-turn highlights the growing economic impact of the Houthi naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, creating more challenges for Chinese buyers to access Saudi crude oil. While Western ships have been cautious about entering the Red Sea for loading or unloading cargoes, Chinese-bound tankers continued to receive about 520,000 barrels per day from Yanbu this year. This volume increased during the Iran conflict, as Saudi Arabia redirected its crude exports to Yanbu to avoid Iranian blockades in the Strait of Hormuz.
New Champion seems to be the first Chinese tanker to change course in the Red Sea, likely due to the increasing risks in the area. Earlier this week, two Chinese-owned supertankers successfully passed through Bab el-Mandeb while carrying Saudi cargoes and had their transponders activated, making them the first tankers to leave the Red Sea with Saudi crude after the Houthi blockade was announced.
Behind them in the Red Sea, the New Explorer is nearing the chokepoint, fully loaded with Saudi crude, while the New Pearl recently departed from Yanbu with a cargo.
Meanwhile, some Western-affiliated ships and others operated by cautious owners have been avoiding the southern exit of the Red Sea. They prefer the more expensive route that involves navigating through the Suez Canal and around Africa to reach buyers in Asia.
The supertanker Gas King, carrying cooking fuel bound for Japan, exited the Red Sea via the canal on Friday, marking it as one of the first to load and leave the area with a Saudi cargo since the Houthi embargo was announced. While it initially estimated arrival in Japan for early August, its updated arrival date is now set for late September.
Other tankers related to Western firms have passed through Bab el-Mandeb or approached Yanbu without their transponders on. This likely helps avoid detection by the Houthis, keeping both the crew and the vessel's movements under wraps.
The New Champion, New Explorer, and New Pearl are all managed by Associated Maritime Co (H.K.) Ltd, according to the Equasis database. The Hong Kong-based company did not provide a response to an emailed request for comment sent outside of business hours.