According to the *Business Standard*, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation-operated oil tanker "MT Ninemia" was recently forced to abandon the Red Sea–Mandeb Strait route due to persistently deteriorating security conditions in the region, and instead rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. This has resulted in a significantly extended voyage and surged transportation costs. The vessel was carrying approximately 100,000 tonnes of Saudi Arabian crude oil, originally destined for Bangladesh's Chittagong Port for use by the Eastern Refinery.

The ship departed from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port on July 23 and subsequently chose a route via the Strait of Gibraltar and around the southern tip of Africa, rather than the traditional Red Sea–Suez Canal route. The voyage distance skyrocketed from 4,200 nautical miles to 13,129 nautical miles—an increase of about 9,000 nautical miles—and the sailing time extended from the usual 13 days to roughly 34 days. The vessel is now expected to arrive at Chittagong Port in the second week of September.

The detour has led to a marked increase in freight costs. The shipowner has filed a claim with the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation for additional expenses totaling USD 5.396 million, broken down as follows: approximately USD 3.39 million in extra vessel hire, about USD 1.03 million in incremental very low sulphur fuel oil costs, roughly USD 452,000 in marine gasoil expenses, about USD 520,000 in Suez Canal transit fees (forgone due to the non-use of the canal), and other voyage-related expenditures.

Mahmudul Malek, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, stated that the decision to reroute was made after receiving verbal consent from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. While he acknowledged that the owner's claim amounts to about USD 5.4 million, he expressed confidence that through negotiation the final cost could be reduced to between USD 3.5 million and USD 4 million. He also noted that, given the security threats near the Mandeb Strait, "the detour was an unavoidable choice."

Bangladesh imports approximately 1.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually, primarily for the Eastern Refinery, with total national petroleum demand standing at 7.2 million tonnes per year. Under a government‑to‑government agreement, all crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are carried exclusively by the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation. This rerouting incident not only drives up the cost of a single shipment but also highlights the vulnerability of the country's energy supply chain, which remains heavily dependent on the Red Sea–Suez Canal route.