Saudi Aramco redirected aviation fuel exports from the port of Yanbu, on the Red Sea, to European buyers at a rate of between 118,000 and 140,000 barrels per day, exceeding pre-conflict levels, according to LSEG tracking data published by Reuters on June 9, 2026.
The move demonstrates that Saudi Arabia has operational alternative infrastructure to sustain its export commitments even while the Strait of Hormuz remains under military pressure.
Saudi Aramco and Fuel Supply: The East-West Pipeline Operates at Full Capacity
The Aramco East-West pipeline operating at full capacity—with a capacity of 7 million barrels per day—transports crude from Persian Gulf fields to the Yanbu refinery and terminal on the Red Sea coast, without exposing shipments to transit through Hormuz. This asset, built specifically as an escape route in the event of a hypothetical closure of the Strait, is now the central axis of Aramco’s export strategy for Atlantic markets. Yanbu refineries process crude into refined products—including aviation kerosene—which are loaded directly onto vessels bound for Mediterranean and Northern European ports.
50% Reduction in Saudi Crude Exports to China
Saudi Arabia exported approximately 20 million barrels of crude to China in May, compared to the 40 million planned for April, a 50% contraction resulting from logistical constraints in the Strait and the strategic redirection of flows, according to Reuters. The 50% reduction in Saudi crude exports to China is putting upward pressure on the Dubai benchmark crude, which feeds Asian refineries. Beijing is seeking substitutes in Russia, Iraq, and Iran, although with limitations in volume and quality.
Nasser Warns of Delay Until 2027
Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, was direct: the blockade of Hormuz “could delay the sector’s recovery until 2027,” according to the Reuters report from June 9. Even if the Strait were to reopen in weeks, the effects on investment, contracts, and buyer confidence would extend beyond the immediate crisis. For Aramco, which plans to maintain its capacity above 12 million barrels per day, the primary risk is not operational but financial and contractual.
Reconfiguration of Global Energy Routes
The expansion of export capacity outside the Strait of Hormuz is not exclusive to Saudi Arabia: the United Arab Emirates intensified the use of the ADCOP pipeline to Fujairah, while Kuwait and Iraq are exploring land routes. The combined capacity of all alternatives covers barely 20–25% of the volume that normally transits through Hormuz, keeping the strait a structural bottleneck. LSEG data confirms that the volume exported from Yanbu in the first week of June was the highest since the terminal’s current configuration.
Impact on Aviation Fuel Prices in Europe
The Saudi Aramco jet fuel Europe strategy represents the most agile logistical response available in the Gulf in the face of the partial closure of Hormuz. European jet fuel—quoted on the Rotterdam and Mediterranean indices—recorded a premium over Brent of between $18 and $22 per barrel in the first week of June, compared to the usual $12–$14, according to Platts. Airline operators with spot contracts are absorbing cost overruns that could lead to fuel surcharges in the coming months. The alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz and their capacity limitations make Aramco’s bet on Yanbu the most effective response available to supply Europe without depending on the Persian corridor.
Source: Reuters
