--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260824-houthi-saudi-blockade-red-sea-fertilizer-2026/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # Houthis declare naval blockade against Saudi ports, opening a 2nd front in the fertilizer shipping crisis Publication Date: 2026-08-24T19:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-08-23T01:20:50-04:00 Author: Kim Clarksen (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/kimclarksen/) Categories: [Trade & Policy](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/), [Freight & Logistics](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/logistics/), [Sanctions & Export Controls](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/sanctions-export-controls/) ![Houthis declare naval blockade against Saudi ports, opening a 2nd front in the fertilizer shipping crisis](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/navy-medicine-tp_do9oneme-unsplash-scaled.jpg) Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi ports on July 20, adding a second maritime chokepoint to the fertilizer supply crisis. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabian ports on July 20, adding a second maritime disruption to the global fertilizer supply chain alongside the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis, according to a [UANI shipping analysis](https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/analysis/iran-shipping-update-august-19-2026) published on August 19. The Houthi Saudi blockade targeting the Red Sea has already prompted some tankers to reroute, although compliance is not universal. Rising insecurity in the Red Sea has increased insurance costs and transit times for vessels moving fertilizer, petrochemicals, and other bulk cargo between the Gulf region and global markets. The Red Sea is a key transit corridor for fertilizer shipments from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe and the Americas. Morocco's OCP, the world's largest phosphate exporter, ships through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to reach European buyers. Egypt's [NCIC](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/?p=44750) and other producers at Mediterranean and Red Sea ports also rely on the route. The Houthi move compounds the Strait of Hormuz blockade, which has already cut off more than 30% of global urea exports and roughly half of globally traded sulfur. Together, the two disruptions threaten to isolate the Middle East and North African fertilizer-producing region from global markets at both its eastern and western exits. A CoBank report published on August 13 warned that the resulting supply constraints will keep fertilizer prices elevated through 2028. Source: [UANI](https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/analysis/iran-shipping-update-august-19-2026) Tags: [fertilizer prices](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/fertilizer-prices/), [food security](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/food-security/), [Red Sea](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/red-sea/), [Saudi Arabia](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/saudi-arabia/), [shipping](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/shipping/), [Strait of Hormuz](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/strait-of-hormuz/), [supply chain](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/supply-chain/), [Yemen](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/yemen/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. Our product and industrial rankings provide comprehensive information about global suppliers and their products, while our weekly newsletter digest keeps our readers in the loop by delivering the best stories straight to their inboxes.