Saudi Arabia claims to have intercepted and destroyed a remote-controlled boat laden with explosives after unconfirmed reports circulated that one of its tankers had been attacked.

Bahri chief executive Abdullah Aldubaikhi told Reuters on Tuesday that none of its ships had been attacked after suggestions the 46,000-dwt Saudi Arabia-flagged product tanker NCC Dammam (built 2008) had suffered an explosion in the Red Sea.

Later, a spokesman for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence said a waterborne improvised explosive device (IED) had been intercepted and destroyed, maritime security consultancy Dryad Global said.

"A remotely piloted and booby-trapped boat was intercepted and destroyed, adding that the marine units were able to monitor the movement of the booby-trapped boat, which was remotely piloted in the waters of the Red Sea," Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki said, according to Dryad.

After AIS data suggested the ship was "not under command" yesterday, the NCC Dammam appears to be underway using its engine and headed to Yanbu.

Dryad said Saudi Arabia has previously said it had intercepted waterborne IEDs in its Red Sea waters, but that "frequent, tangible and verifiable evidence is rarely distributed".

The consultancy suggested the attacks could be the work of Houthi rebels fighting in the nearby Yemeni civil war.

Terrorist label

In January, the administration of former US President Donald Trump took steps to designate the Houthis as a terrorist group following a spate of attacks against tankers in the Red Sea in late 2020.

The attacks that spurred the designation included an explosion aboard the George Economou-controlled, 107,000-dwt Agrari (built 2009) and the 105,300-dwt Syra (built 2010).

The Syra was said to have been hit by a submersible explosive device while at Rudhum, Yemen.

Dryad said the reported attacks involving waterborne IEDs and the interception of such ships near Yanbu and Jeddah "represents a significant northward shift in both the capabilities and intent of Houthi rebels", though attacks remain "uncommon".

"Such attacks are notably complex to mount and require significant resources, and, as such, are not assessed to be part of a regular targeting campaign against Saudi interests within these areas," it said.