Saudi Arabia exports most crude from Persian Gulf since Iran war began

Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports from Persian Gulf ports have climbed to their highest level since Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war in late February. Tankers are loading again at Ras Tanura and other critical Gulf terminals.

Gulf-origin exports have reached approximately 4.45 million barrels per day as of June 2026, up from a low of 3.99 million b/d in April. That recovery owes much to the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, which has allowed very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to transit the strait for the first time since the conflict erupted.

From blockade to pipeline workaround

Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz on any given day. When Iran effectively shut it down in March, Middle East Gulf exports plummeted by 60-71% at the crisis’s worst point.

Saudi Arabia activated its East-West pipeline, rerouting crude to Red Sea ports, primarily Yanbu, on the country’s western coast. Exports from Red Sea facilities tripled to approximately 5 million b/d by mid-April.

Before the war, Saudi Arabia was exporting roughly 5.5 million b/d through the Strait of Hormuz. That volume accounted for 38% of total crude flows through the chokepoint in 2024. The current 4.45 million b/d from Gulf ports is still about a million barrels short of pre-war benchmarks.

The ceasefire changes the calculus

The resumption of tanker loadings at Gulf terminals is directly tied to the US-Iran ceasefire negotiations. By late June, enough diplomatic progress had been made that shipping companies began sending VLCCs back to Ras Tanura.

Broader Middle Eastern Gulf exports have recovered to around three-quarters of their pre-war levels. The Iran war kicked off at the end of February 2026, with Saudi crude loadings from the Gulf bottoming at 3.99 million b/d in April per JODI data. The ceasefire talks began gaining traction in May, and by June, the numbers started climbing again.

The East-West pipeline has capacity constraints, and Gulf port access remains the preferred route for the majority of Saudi crude heading to Asian markets.

What this means for energy markets and investors

Current export levels remain below pre-war volumes. The ceasefire is not a peace treaty, and uncertainties persist around regional security threats, meaning any renewed escalation could send Gulf export volumes back toward April’s lows.

Traders should watch two numbers closely: whether Saudi Gulf exports can close the gap toward 5.5 million b/d, and whether the broader Middle East region can push past the three-quarters recovery mark.

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