Sources say that after a drone strike damaged the pipeline to the Red Sea, Saudi
Arabia is boosting crude shipments to Asian refiners via ship-to-ship transfers
off Sohar, Oman. Aramco has offered long-term Asian buyers Arab Light, Arab
Medium and Arab Heavy loaded off Sohar — outside the Strait of Hormuz —
signaling more barrels are being moved out of the Gulf for transshipment.
Sources say Aramco has made similar Arab Medium/Heavy supply proposals to Asian
buyers at least twice in recent weeks. Satellite tracker Energy Aspects shows
daily loadings at Gulf terminals Ras Tanura and Juaymah doubled over the past
week to roughly 4.0 mln barrels (about two VLCCs). Vessel tracker Kpler recorded
four VLCCs loading at Ras Tanura on Wednesday, totaling about 8.0 mln barrels.
