A drone strike at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta ignited fires on two gas vessels. The attack damaged the Energos Winter, a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker. No group has claimed responsibility for the strike near the Suez Canal.
The event increases security risks for the Suez Canal and the Sumed pipeline. This infrastructure serves as a vital export route for Saudi Arabian oil.
Regional tensions have already forced shipping companies to utilize longer, more expensive routes around Africa. A Bangladesh Shipping Corporation crude tanker recently avoided the Bab el Mandeb Strait at an additional cost of $5.4 million.