Two tankers carrying Saudi crude for Indian refiners have switched off their tracking systems while sailing through the Red Sea, highlighting the growing shipping risks facing India’s oil imports after Yemen’s Houthis announced a blockade on Saudi shipments.

Both vessels have since exited the Red Sea through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and are heading towards India.

The Amazon, chartered by Indian Oil Corporation, is carrying around 1 million barrels of crude, while the Rodos is transporting about 700,000 barrels for Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals. Both vessels loaded their cargo at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port around July 20.

The tankers switched off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders around July 22 before changing direction and sailing south towards the Bab el-Mandeb. Turning off tracking systems is sometimes used by vessels operating in conflict zones to reduce security risks.

The move comes after other tankers managed by the same shipping company, Dynacom Tankers, came under attack. The incidents have raised concerns among Indian refiners, which are already looking for safer routes and alternative arrangements for crude deliveries.

Indian refiners have increasingly shifted towards delivered crude cargoes from the Middle East and are seeking shipments that avoid high-risk routes. MRPL’s latest tender, for instance, specified routes that bypass both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest disruption adds another layer of uncertainty for India’s energy supply chain. Although the two tankers are continuing towards Indian ports, with the Rodos expected at Mangalore on August 1 and Amazon due at Chennai in early August, continued attacks could increase shipping costs, extend delivery times and put further pressure on crude procurement.

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