Oil Tanker Tests Houthi Ceasefire

Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker Chrysalis, which was attacked by Yemen's Houthis last year, sailed through the Red Sea this week, the Suez Canal said on Monday, in one of the first voyages since the militia announced a halt in attacks on ships not linked to Israel.

Shipping companies, many of which have suspended Red Sea voyages and rerouted vessels around southern Africa to avoid potential Houthi attacks, have been anxiously waiting for confirmation of safe voyages through the Red Sea since the Gaza ceasefire.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, which have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and sunk two vessels, said on Jan. 20 after the Gaza ceasefire that they would limit their attacks on shipping lanes to Israel-linked vessels.

Previously they had targeted ships linked to the UK and U.S. although other vessels with no connection have also been hit.

"It is the vessel's first transit since it was attacked in the Red Sea last July," Egypt's Suez Canal Authority said on Monday, hailing the return of the Chrysalis.

"The return of the tanker to transit through the Suez Canal is a strong message of reassurance regarding the positive developments towards the return of stability to the Red Sea region," Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie said.

The vessel sailed through the Bab al-Mandeb strait in recent days and then northwards through the Suez Canal, LSEG ship tracking data showed.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in December the disruption of the canal had cost Egypt around $7 billion in revenues in 2024.

(Reuters - Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Jonathon Saul; Editing by Sandra Maler)