At least 25 very large crude carriers are currently sailing toward the Red Sea port of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia. This move comes as the kingdom races to deliver its crude to market following shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz caused by conflict with Iran.

According to vessel tracking data, this fleet would provide Saudi Arabia with the capacity to transport 50 million barrels of crude from this port. If these shipments are successful, they would serve as a critical buffer against the unprecedented disruption to energy supplies from the Persian Gulf.

The data, compiled over the past two days, includes vessels listing Yanbu as their destination. However, the actual scale of the diversion may be larger, as tankers sometimes do not disclose their destinations for security reasons, particularly during periods of conflict.

Since the onset of hostilities involving the US, Israel, and Iran, Saudi Arabia has faced significant challenges in transporting crude through the Strait of Hormuz. With drones and missiles flying daily over the Persian Gulf, the risks of traversing its narrow entrance have become too high for most shipowners.

This conflict has reduced global oil production by approximately 6%. With no outlet for their crude, countries including Iraq and Kuwait have been forced to shut in production at some oilfields. While Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also adjusted their production levels, their situations are unique; they possess pipeline networks that connect to the Red Sea and Fujairah, respectively, allowing them to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, stated during an earnings call on Tuesday that the company is increasing crude flows through its East-West Pipeline, which has a capacity of 7 million barrels per day.

"We should reach full capacity within a few days," Nasser said.

The UAE is also working to export more crude via a pipeline from its main oilfields to the port of Fujairah, thus avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. Data from Kpler and compiled tanker tracking information indicate that exports from this terminal have surged to about 1.6 million barrels per day so far this month, significantly higher than the recent average of approximately 1.1 million barrels per day.