Russian Oil Takes Long Route to Asia After Switches Near Egypt

  • Cargo transfers have been forced away from the Laconian Gulf
  • Most Russian crude shipments continue to transit the Red Sea
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Russia is sending a supertanker filled with oil all the way around Africa to Asia, a sign the nation’s fleet may not be immune from Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea.

Two Suezmax-class ships — both of which could theoretically have sailed full through the Suez Canal and then the Houthi-menaced waters to its south — instead switched their cargoes onto the supertanker Gold Pearl near Egypt’s Port Said earlier this month.