Iran crisis update: Saudi Aramco is offering crude oil outside the Strait of Hormuz to some Asian refiners through private negotiations, according to reports carrying Reuters, in a rare workaround that shows how the Iran crisis is forcing Gulf exporters and buyers to route around one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.
The reported offers are a new angle in the crisis because they are not another warning or attack claim. They point to a practical supply-chain adaptation: moving barrels to buyers without requiring those buyers’ own tankers to enter the strait while security risks remain high.
What Aramco Is Offering
MarineLink, carrying Reuters, reported that two sources with knowledge of the matter said Aramco is in talks to supply Arab Medium and Arab Heavy crude through ship-to-ship transfers off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. One source said the cargoes under discussion are for September loading.
Business Standard, also carrying Reuters, reported the same core details and said it was not immediately clear how Aramco moved the cargoes out to Fujairah. Aramco declined to comment, according to the Reuters report.
Why It Matters For Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz remains badly disrupted after months of war and stalled U.S.-Iran negotiations. The Aramco offers matter because they would let some Asian refiners receive crude without sending their own tankers through a waterway where security concerns have deterred many shipowners.
Reuters, via MarineLink, said the approach resembles a strategy used by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., which has benefited from sustained shipments from inside the Gulf to waters outside the strait. The report said ADNOC has sold more than 100 million barrels through tenders using that kind of workaround.
The wider shipping picture is still tight. The Hindu‘s live coverage, citing Reuters and Kpler ship-tracking data, reported that only six commodity ships transited the strait on Monday, with no very large crude carriers or LNG tankers recorded passing through. The report noted that vessels with transponders switched off may not appear in that tally.
Markets Are Pricing The Risk
The supply workaround comes as oil markets are reacting to the failed negotiating window and fresh threats around the strait. The Guardian reported Tuesday that Brent crude rose above $90 a barrel for the first time since July 30, trading at $91.63 in the morning, after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire window expired without a broader deal.
The Guardian also reported that a cargo ship was attacked early Tuesday while traveling through the strait, citing the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency. Al Jazeera reported that UKMTO said the vessel was hit by an unknown projectile, causing engine-room damage and one crew casualty, while Omani authorities assisted the remaining crew.
What To Watch
The key question is whether this remains a limited workaround for selected buyers or becomes a broader pattern for Gulf crude exports. If more barrels are offered outside Hormuz, it could ease some immediate supply pressure for Asian refiners. It would also underline how far the crisis has moved from temporary disruption into a new operating reality for energy shipping.
For now, the facts are narrower but significant: Reuters-carrying outlets report that Aramco is discussing September cargoes of Arab Medium and Arab Heavy crude via ship-to-ship transfers off Fujairah, Aramco has not commented, visible Hormuz traffic remains far below normal, and oil prices are again reflecting the risk of a prolonged disruption.
Sources: Reuters via MarineLink; Reuters via Business Standard; The Hindu; The Guardian; Al Jazeera.