Gulf News2 hours agoBusiness1 min readSaudi Arabia

STS hubs off Oman and UAE near capacity as Gulf oil flows surge

Quick Look

Recent reporting indicates ship-to-ship transfer hubs off Oman and the UAE are operating near or at capacity as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers reroute exports through the Strait of Hormuz, with September STS volumes reaching 2.5 million barrels per day, nearly 40% of oil passing through Hormuz.

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Why It Matters

Ship-to-ship (STS) transfers allow oil to be moved between vessels at sea, often used to avoid port congestion or facilitate blending. The Gulf of Oman has become a key STS corridor for Gulf oil exports.

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Capacity pressure: Recent reporting indicates STS hubs off Oman (Sohar) and the UAE (Fujairah) are operating near or at capacity as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers reroute exports through Hormuz and rely on offshore handoffs.

Scale of flows: In September, daily STS volumes in the region rose to roughly 2.5 million barrels per day, nearly 40% of oil passing through Hormuz, according to shipping data cited by industry monitors. Earlier TankerTrackers posts noted single-day exchanges of at least 24 million barrels across 17 STS operations in the Gulf of Oman, as per Safety 4 Sea, an industry tracker.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

STS volumes in the Gulf of Oman will remain elevated or increase if Gulf producers continue to rely on offshore handoffs for Hormuz-bound exports
Likely · Within weeks

Open Questions

How long can current STS hubs sustain near-capacity operations before requiring infrastructure expansion?
Are alternative STS locations being developed to relieve pressure on Sohar and Fujairah hubs?