Saudi Arabia Reportedly Rerouting Crude Oil Through Yanbu and Sohar, Using Ship-to-Ship Transfers Off Oman

Saudi Arabia, the world's second-largest crude oil exporter, is reportedly rerouting some of its oil shipments through alternative paths, including transfers between the Red Sea port of Yanbu and Oman's port of Sohar, according to a report by Al Jazeera published on September 17.

The report states that the kingdom has been employing so-called "dark shipments" — a term generally used in the oil trade to describe vessels that disable or obscure their tracking transponders to avoid detection — as well as ship-to-ship transfers conducted off the coast of Oman.

Al Jazeera's report did not specify the exact reasons behind the rerouting, nor did it detail the volumes of oil involved or the timeline over which these alternative routes have been used.

Saudi Arabia, through its state oil company Saudi Aramco, is one of the largest producers and exporters of crude oil globally, with established export infrastructure including terminals on both its Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts.

Ship-to-ship transfers, where cargo is moved from one vessel to another at sea rather than at a port, are a recognized practice in the international oil trade and can be used for a variety of logistical, commercial, or sanctions-related reasons.

Al Jazeera did not attribute the described shipping activity to specific sanctions measures or provide comment from Saudi Arabian officials or Saudi Aramco in the excerpt reviewed. Further details from the original report, including sourcing for the tracking data referenced, were not immediately available.

This report could not be independently verified beyond the information provided by Al Jazeera at the time of publication.