Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports fell by half in March after Iran effectively prevented tankers from leaving the Persian Gulf, forcing the kingdom to reroute flows to its west coast.
Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports fell by half in March after Iran effectively prevented tankers from leaving the Persian Gulf, forcing the kingdom to reroute flows to its west coast.
An oil tanker at the port of Ras al-Khair, about 185 kilometres north of Dammam in Saudi Arabia's eastern province overlooking the Gulf.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for exports of oil, natural gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf — remains severely constrained more than a month after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for exports of oil, natural gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf — remains severely constrained more than a month after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz Photographer: Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025/Getty Images
The number of vessels transiting Hormuz with their signals on is ticking gently higher, even as the waterway remains effectively closed to most commercial shipping without clearance from Iran.
The number of vessels transiting Hormuz with their signals on is ticking gently higher, even as the waterway remains effectively closed to most commercial shipping without clearance from Iran.
A tug boat tows a ship off the northern Oman's Musandam Peninsula, overlooking the Strait of Hormuz on June 24.
A small cargo of Saudi crude is heading to Pakistan after crossing the Strait of Hormuz along a route hugging the Iranian coastline. A total of seven vessels were visible leaving the Persian Gulf on Saturday.
A small cargo of Saudi crude is heading to Pakistan after crossing the Strait of Hormuz along a route hugging the Iranian coastline. A total of seven vessels were visible leaving the Persian Gulf on Saturday.
A trickle of ships are crossing the Strait of Hormuz along a route hugging the Iranian coastline as the war enters a second month. Only four vessels have been visible leaving the Persian Gulf over the past day.
A trickle of ships are crossing the Strait of Hormuz along a route hugging the Iranian coastline as the war enters a second month. Only four vessels have been visible leaving the Persian Gulf over the past day.
Two LPG tankers and two bulk carriers exit the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on March 28, 2026.
Russia’s top oil port in the Baltic Sea resumed loading days after it came under attack from Ukrainian drones, although the company that pipes crude there said it is trying to divert barrels elsewhere because of the incidents.
Russia’s top oil port in the Baltic Sea resumed loading days after it came under attack from Ukrainian drones, although the company that pipes crude there said it is trying to divert barrels elsewhere because of the incidents.
Saudi Arabia has ramped up crude shipments from Yanbu export terminals on the Red Sea coast as it diverts supplies away from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has kept effectively closed since the end of February.
Saudi Arabia has ramped up crude shipments from Yanbu export terminals on the Red Sea coast as it diverts supplies away from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has kept effectively closed since the end of February.
Value of shipments hits most since just after Ukraine invasion, amid higher prices and flows
Russia shipped 3.6 million barrels a day of crude in the four weeks to March 22, helping boost inflows to the Kremlin’s war chest to the highest in four years.
Value of shipments hits most since just after Ukraine invasion, amid higher prices and flows
Russia shipped 3.6 million barrels a day of crude in the four weeks to March 22, helping boost inflows to the Kremlin’s war chest to the highest in four years.
It took just days for the Iran war to hobble oil fields, refineries and gas plants across the Persian Gulf, but it could take years to restore their full potential as the conflict drags on.
It took just days for the Iran war to hobble oil fields, refineries and gas plants across the Persian Gulf, but it could take years to restore their full potential as the conflict drags on.
Damage to Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery, in an image released on March 2.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for exports of oil, natural gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf — remains at a near-standstill weeks after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for exports of oil, natural gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf — remains at a near-standstill weeks after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz Photographer: Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025/Getty Images
Oil and gas markets have been rocked by disruption to supply out of the Persian Gulf. Prices of both commodities have jumped since the US and Israel began their strikes on Iran.
Oil and gas markets have been rocked by disruption to supply out of the Persian Gulf. Prices of both commodities have jumped since the US and Israel began their strikes on Iran.
The liquefied natural gas production facility in Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for exports of oil, gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf — remains at a near-standstill weeks after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital route for exports of oil, gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf — remains at a near-standstill weeks after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
An Iranian Navy speedboat near the strait of Hormuz.
A huge number of tankers are now waiting to collect oil from Saudi Arabia’s key port in the Red Sea as Riyadh ramps up its efforts to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after the vital waterway was effectively closed to shipping.
A huge number of tankers are now waiting to collect oil from Saudi Arabia’s key port in the Red Sea as Riyadh ramps up its efforts to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after the vital waterway was effectively closed to shipping.
At least 27 large crude oil tankers are anchored off Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port on the Red Sea on March 16, 2026.
Saudi Arabia’s race to bypass the Strait of Hormuz has led to a buildup of oil supertankers waiting off the kingdom’s Red Sea coast to collect cargoes, as Riyadh tries to overcome unprecedented disruption caused by the Iran war.
Saudi Arabia’s race to bypass the Strait of Hormuz has led to a buildup of oil supertankers waiting off the kingdom’s Red Sea coast to collect cargoes, as Riyadh tries to overcome unprecedented disruption caused by the Iran war.
At least 50 supertankers are heading the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu on March 13, 2026.
OPEC’s crude oil production climbed last month as group leader Saudi Arabia bolstered production amid rising regional tensions, a Bloomberg survey showed.
OPEC’s crude oil production climbed last month as group leader Saudi Arabia bolstered production amid rising regional tensions, a Bloomberg survey showed.
An employee walks past oil transport pipes on the quayside of the Arabian Sea at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and terminal in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Saudi Aramco aims to become a global refiner and chemical maker, seeking to profit from parts of the oil industry where demand is growing the fastest while also underpinning the kingdom’s economic diversification.
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