Bangladesh’s latest shipment of Saudi Arabian crude oil is taking a 9,000-nautical-mile detour around Africa after security risks in the Red Sea forced the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation to avoid the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
The diversion is expected to delay the 100,000-tonne cargo by about a month and raise transportation costs by up to $5.4 million, according to Shipping Corporation documents.
The Corporation has informed Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation that the diversion of the ship, MT Ninemia, could add up to $5.4 million (Tk66.63 crore) to transport costs, although it expects to negotiate the final amount down to $3.5-$4 million.
The tanker left Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port on 23 July and is sailing via the Strait of Gibraltar and South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope instead of the Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb.
The detour extends the voyage from 4,200 to 13,129 nautical miles, adding about 34 days. The vessel is expected to reach Chattogram in the second week of September with crude for Eastern Refinery.
Shipowner claims $5.4m
On 23 July, the vessel’s shipping agent asked the Shipping Corporation for permission to avoid the Bab el Mandeb Strait because of security concerns in the Red Sea. The shipowner later sought $5.396 million in additional charges.
According to Shipping Corporation’s letter to BPC, the claim includes about $3.39 million in extra vessel hire, $1.03 million for additional very low sulphur fuel oil, $452,200 for marine gas oil, $520,000 in Suez Canal transit charges and other voyage-related expenses.
Habibur Rahman, a senior executive of the vessel’s local shipping agent, confirmed the route change.
“Due to security risks arising from the conflict in the Red Sea, MT Ninemia is sailing via the Cape of Good Hope. The additional freight cost has been communicated to the Shipping Corporation,” he told The Business Standard.
Shipping Corporation Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the diversion was unavoidable due to Houthi drone threats around the Bab el Mandeb Strait. The voyage, which normally takes 13 days, will now take about 34 days longer.
He said the Shipping Corporation approved the route change with BPC’s verbal consent and expects to negotiate the shipowner’s additional cost claim down from $5.4 million to $3.5-$4 million.
Fuel supply under pressure
Bangladesh imports about 1.5 million tonnes of crude annually for Eastern Refinery against total petroleum demand of 7.2 million tonnes, with Shipping Corporation transporting all crude imported from Saudi Arabia and the UAE under government-to-government deals.
BPC General Manager Md Zahid Hossain said rerouting Saudi crude adds 34-35 days to the voyage, disrupting import schedules and increasing refinery costs.
He said the Shipping Corporation has submitted the additional cost estimate, but the final payment will be settled after cargo delivery and negotiations with the shipowner under international shipping practice.
MT Ninemia, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker built in 2024 with a carrying capacity of about 113,839 tonnes, also delivered crude oil to Bangladesh in May and June this year.
Source: https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/shipping-corps-crude-tanker-forced-long-detour-cost-rises-54m-1501711
