Bloomberg: Oil tankers gather near Ras Isa port after Israeli raids destroy tugboats

Bloomberg reported that a large number of commercial ships gathered near the Yemeni port of Ras Isa on the Red Sea, in an unusual manner, after Israeli airstrikes damaged the tugboats needed to transport them to shore.

Several tugboats were badly damaged in attacks by the Israeli Defense Forces in late December. While the boats have been out of service for about three weeks, port staff have been slowly bringing tankers in, causing backlogs, according to a terminal worker and a senior official in the transport ministry of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

Now, at least 15 oil tankers, some carrying Russian fuel, are gathering at or near the port, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and Vortexa.

The backlog is emblematic of delays that have plagued the shipping market for more than a year, adding time and cost to journeys. Continued maritime attacks in the region, including Israeli strikes on targets in Yemen and Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, have disrupted a vital trade route, forcing many ships to divert.

Commercial vessels were advised to avoid Yemeni territorial waters amid reports of airstrikes on Friday on Houthi-controlled areas including the Ras Isa port, according to a risk alert from maritime security firm Ambrey. No damage to commercial vessels has been reported, the firm said.