Sidi Kerir as Alternative to Bab al-Mandeb
Saudi Arabia is working to expand its oil export options due to escalating security threats in the Red Sea and decreasing flexibility in passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This is being achieved by increasing reliance on the Sidi Kerir port in Egypt as an alternative route, involving the transfer of oil from Yanbu to Ain Sokhna, then via the Suez Sidem pipeline to Sidi Kerir. This approach allows bypassing the security risks present in the strait. Although this option enhances market flexibility, it does not completely replace the traditional route through the Red Sea, as it consumes approximately 2.5 million barrels per day, out of Saudi Arabia’s total exports approaching 6 million barrels per day. This shift highlights the strategic role of the Sidem pipeline as a corridor that helps reduce dependence on high-risk straits. However, it also increases costs and affects operational efficiency, especially considering that strategic chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb are vital to the global oil markets.
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