RoydadNaft –  Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports in August dropped to their lowest level in nine years.

According to Roydad Naft, citing Al-Masirah, Bloomberg said Saudi crude shipments in August reached their lowest point since 2017 as tankers came under attack.

Bloomberg reported that attacks on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea have threatened oil cargoes that were using that route to bypass the Strait of Hormuz during the war.

The outlet described the drop in Saudi oil exports as a setback for the kingdom.

Bloomberg also said continued attacks on Saudi ships have raised concern among Riyadh’s customers and led some of them to hesitate about using the kingdom’s Red Sea ports.

That hesitation, the report said, has forced Riyadh to look for alternative sea routes that go all the way around the African continent.

Bloomberg added that Saudi Aramco declined to comment on the export figures and that the kingdom’s Energy Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.