Middle Eastern producers are continuing to load oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) despite recent ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed US -Iran strikes, according to shipping data reported by Reuters.
Shipping activity slowed after a container ship attack on Thursday and an oil tanker incident on Saturday triggered retaliatory actions, raising concerns over a fragile US -Iran interim understanding. However, a US official said on Sunday that both sides had agreed to halt hostilities and resume talks over the strategic waterway.
Loading operations have persisted. A fourth Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), capable of carrying 2 million barrels (mmbbl), was seen loading at Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura terminal on June 29, according to LSEG data. Three additional VLCCs loaded and went “dark” over the weekend, switching off transponders to reduce attack risks, with one reappearing after exiting the strait en route to Japan.
Two VLCCs entered the strait on Sunday and docked at a UAE terminal to load crude. Meanwhile, two oil product tankers and a smaller fuel tanker transited the strait on June 29, although overall traffic remains below last week’s peak of 29 tankers on June 24, according to global data and analytics platform Kpler. Current activity is still significantly lower than pre-conflict levels of around 125 daily sailings.
Iran is accelerating exports following a 60-day US sanctions waiver. Tehran conducted simultaneous loadings at both Kharg Island terminals on Saturday for the first time in nearly a week, Windward data showed. Kpler data indicated that Iranian VLCCs Dan and Hawk entered the strait, while about 8 mmbbl of Emirati and Qatari crude were shipped on four VLCCs over the weekend.
In LNG, two ballast tankers reappeared west of the strait on June 26 after going dark, while two loaded LNG carriers exited Hormuz. The Al Kharaitiyat is heading to Kuwait after loading at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal, while Al Kharsaah, also controlled by QatarEnergy, is awaiting orders offshore.
Additionally, ADNOC’s Mraweh, loaded at Das Island on June 21, is scheduled to deliver cargo to India’s Dahej terminal on July 5. QatarEnergy’s Al Hamla, which loaded on June 18 at Ras Laffan, is expected to arrive in China on July 3, according to LSEG and Kpler data.
