100,000 tons of fuel oil arrive in Bangladesh under Houthi radar

The threat of Houthi missiles and drones has spread across the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Saudi Arabia. Amid these significant risks, the vessel MT Andrios sailed through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil.

When the vessel was passing through the narrow strait on October 22 after loading oil at Yanbu port on October 16, its Automatic Identification System (AIS), which tracks the vessel’s movements, was switched off. The onboard radar and external navigation lights were also completely turned off. The vessel moved at a very slow speed. The strategy was primarily intended to avoid detection by the Houthis.

After successfully crossing the strait, the vessel is now near the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is expected to reach Kutubdia in the Bay of Bengal on November 1. The oil will then be transferred to lighter vessels and transported to the Eastern Refinery in Patenga, Chattogram. After refining, the oil will be sold on the domestic market.

Under normal circumstances, Bangladesh imported oil from Saudi Arabia through the Persian Gulf. Large vessels loaded oil at Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura port. They then crossed the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Arabian Sea before traveling through the Bay of Bengal to Chattogram.

However, amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has become extremely risky and has nearly come to a halt. This has forced vessels to change their routes. Saudi Arabia is using its East-West Pipeline to transport crude oil to Yanbu port on the Red Sea. MT Andrios loaded its cargo there.

To reach the Bay of Bengal from the Red Sea, vessels have no alternative but to pass through the narrow Bab al Mandeb Strait off the coast of Yemen. This has forced Bangladesh to adopt the new route.

Asked why the route was chosen despite the risks, Captain Belal Uddin Chowdhury, general manager of shipping agent Prime Ocean Trade Limited, said, “The vessel had to pass through the Bab al Mandeb Strait because the shipowner, the operating authority and the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation agreed on the decision. After departing on October 16, the vessel will reach Chattogram in just 16 days.”

Earlier, another vessel, MT Ninemia, transported 100,000 tons of oil from Saudi Arabia to Chattogram via the Suez Canal and around the African continent. The journey took 50 days. The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation had to pay a substantial amount in transportation costs. The shipping line could not disclose the cost of the current shipment.

The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, another state-owned entity, is responsible for transporting crude oil for the Eastern Refinery. Captain Mujibur Rahman, general manager of chartering at the corporation, said, “Some risks have to be taken. Bringing the oil despite the risks has saved a substantial amount in transportation costs. However, this was possible only because the supplier and the BPC agreed.”

Transporting 100,000 tons of oil through the Bab al Mandeb Strait required the vessel to face war related risks and pay double the insurance coverage. However, the BPC has not confirmed the amount involved.

Crossing the Bab al Mandeb Strait is currently one of the world’s most dangerous maritime journeys. Yemen’s Houthi rebels are regularly launching anti-ship ballistic missile and drone attacks in the area. The strait is only 20 kilometers wide, leaving vessels with little opportunity to escape by increasing speed. A single missile could turn a tanker carrying 100,000 tons of oil into a floating bomb at any moment. Despite the risks, however, vessel traffic through the route has increased somewhat over the past two months.

Maritime data show that around 1,000 commercial vessels crossed the strait in September 2026. In October, an average of 20 to 26 cargo ships and tankers have been passing through the route each day despite the extreme risks.

The main reason for the increase in vessel traffic is that the Houthis have reduced their focus on the Bab al Mandeb Strait. They are now concentrating on attacks against economically important targets in Saudi Arabia, including airports, oil facilities and pipelines.

The BPC also ensured that the vessel’s tracking system, or AIS, clearly displayed “Destination Bangladesh” and a message indicating that the vessel had no connection with Israel. Fortunately, the vessel managed to cross the strait successfully.

Time and transportation costs are particularly important in this case. Under normal circumstances, transporting oil from Saudi Arabia to Chattogram through the Strait of Hormuz took 10 to 12 days. Vessel rental costs ranged from $1.5 million to $2 million.

By avoiding the Strait of Hormuz and traveling through the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandeb Strait, the journey now takes 15 to 17 days. Including additional war risk insurance premiums, the cost has risen to $2.5 million to $3 million.

If the vessel had avoided the Red Sea entirely due to the Houthi threat and sailed around the African continent via the Cape of Good Hope, the journey would have taken 35 to 40 days. In that case, additional fuel and shipping costs would have surged to $5 million to $6 million.