Media: UAE conducts secret oil shipments through Strait of Hormuz

The UAE has sent several crude oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz with tracking systems turned off in order to continue exports during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel, Reuters reports, citing industry sources and maritime tracking data.

The measure was taken to move crude oil that had effectively become stranded in the Gulf due to regional tensions, according to the report.

While the shipments represent only a small fraction of the UAE’s typical export volumes prior to the outbreak of the US-Israel war against Iran, they highlight the operational risks both producers and buyers are willing to take in order to resume trade.

Other Gulf producers — including Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar — have either suspended sales or significantly reduced prices to attract buyers, while Saudi Arabia is routing shipments only via the Red Sea.

In April, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is said to have exported at least 4 million barrels of Upper Zakum crude and 2 million barrels of Das crude via four tankers from Gulf terminals, according to Kpler, shipping data sources, and satellite analysis by SynMax.

The cargoes were reportedly transferred using ship-to-ship (STS) operations to other vessels later delivering oil to refineries in Southeast Asia, or discharged into storage in Oman, or sent directly to South Korean refineries — a system described by Reuters as being reported for the first time. ADNOC declined to comment on the reported shipments.

According to Kpler data, ADNOC has reduced exports by more than 1 million barrels per day compared with 3.1 million barrels per day shipped last year.

By Jeyhun Aghazada