Saudi Arabia Resumes Yanbu Crude Loadings as East-West Pipeline Recovery Accelerates
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Saudi Arabia has resumed crude loadings from the Red Sea ports of Yanbu and Al Muajjiz after restarting the East-West Pipeline, restoring an export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. Trade sources estimate Yanbu crude loadings have reached about 2 million barrels per day, while Kpler puts current East-West Pipeline throughput at roughly 2.65 million b/d and expects flows to rise toward 3 million to 4 million b/d within days. Saudi Aramco notified customers on September 28 of its October Yanbu loading schedule, and satellite imagery from September 27 showed nearly 10 million barrels being loaded at Yanbu and Al Muajjiz. The recovery remains partial: Kpler estimates the pipeline was moving about 5.5 million b/d before the September 11 attacks and says a return to that level could still take another month.
The Restart Has Reached the Tanker Berth
Pipeline flow has now translated into actual Red Sea crude exports, moving Saudi Arabia beyond pressure testing and inventory rebuilding into sustained tanker-loading operations.
Saudi Arabia announced a precautionary shutdown after attacks in the Riyadh and Madinah regions.
Crude begins moving again at reduced rates while Aramco rebuilds pressure and inventories.
Yanbu crude stocks rise by approximately 1 million barrels, the first build since the attack.
Satellite imagery captures nearly 10 million barrels being loaded at Yanbu and Al Muajjiz.
Aramco notifies customers of its October loading program from Yanbu.
Saudi Arabia Is Rebuilding a Second Export Corridor
Yanbu's return means Saudi crude can again leave the kingdom through both the Gulf and Red Sea, reducing the requirement to push every incremental barrel through Hormuz and the overloaded Gulf of Oman transfer system.
| Export Channel | Latest Position | Current Scale | Change Since Disruption | Shipping Effect | Remaining Constraint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East-West Pipeline | RECOVERING 2.65M b/d | Approximately 48% of Kpler's estimated 5.5M-b/d pre-attack throughput. | Flow has progressed from complete shutdown to inventory rebuilding and now sustained export loading. | Reopens a land route across Saudi Arabia and allows crude to reach the Red Sea without a Hormuz transit. | Kpler says reaching the previous 5.5M-b/d rate may still take another month. |
| Yanbu / Al Muajjiz | LOADINGS RESUMED ~2M b/d | Trade sources estimate crude loadings at approximately 2M b/d since late last week. | September 23 scheduled loadings were missed. By September 27, satellite imagery showed nearly 10M barrels loading. | Restores Red Sea VLCC, Suezmax and Aframax employment and reduces some dependence on eastern Saudi ports. | Current terminal loading does not yet imply full pipeline or export-system restoration. |
| Strait of Hormuz | STILL CRITICAL ~9M b/d | Seven-day average through September 22, including Gulf of Oman STS activity. | Up from a late-July low of roughly 2.2M b/d. | Large Saudi, Iraqi and UAE crude volumes still depend on direct or shuttle passage through the strait. | Commercial traffic, insurance and vessel efficiency remain far from pre-war conditions. |
| Gulf of Oman STS | CONGESTED Capacity Pressure | More than 60M barrels of Saudi crude had been sold for Sohar-area STS handling after Yanbu shut. | Vortexa estimated VLCC STS operations around 6M b/d from Gulf ports west of Hormuz. | Yanbu's recovery should gradually reduce the need to send every displaced Saudi barrel through this two-tanker system. | Reuters reported STS operations taking nearly 10 days, versus roughly five to seven days previously. |
| Sidi Kerir | RESTARTED Sep. 22 | Crude loadings resumed after a 10-day hiatus. | Restores another Mediterranean outlet connected to regional oil logistics. | Can support Saudi and other Middle East flows toward Mediterranean and European buyers. | Kpler says tankers remain queued offshore because access restrictions still limit much of the commercial fleet. |
| Red Sea Security | ELEVATED Yanbu Threat Remains | Saudi Arabia said it intercepted six ballistic missiles directed toward Taif and the Yanbu area on September 24. | The Houthis separately claimed attacks on Aramco facilities in Yanbu. | Restoring the route diversifies Saudi exports away from Hormuz but moves more tanker exposure into the Red Sea security environment. | Saudi authorities did not confirm damage or casualties in Yanbu from the September 24 incident. |
Every incremental barrel restored through Petroline creates the option to load on the Red Sea coast rather than consuming Gulf tanker and Hormuz capacity.
Reuters reported that moving the extra Saudi barrels through Hormuz required dozens of additional VLCCs and pushed Middle East-China charter rates to record levels.
Riyadh can again divide crude between Ras Tanura and other Gulf terminals, Yanbu on the Red Sea and associated Mediterranean logistics rather than relying overwhelmingly on one corridor.
Yanbu Recovery & Hormuz Relief Analyzer
Test how different East-West Pipeline recovery rates could shift Saudi crude back toward the Red Sea and reduce the volume that must use Gulf terminals, Hormuz and offshore shuttle operations.
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