On 14 October the first crude oil shipment since 1991 left Saudi Arabia’s Mu’ajjiz terminal on the Red Sea coast. De-mothballing the nameplate 3mn b/d facility, now renamed ‘Yanbu South’, has been a key priority for Aramco as it seeks to increase export flexibility and reduce its strategic reliance on the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
The Watban VLCC lifted a 2mn barrel cargo from the terminal and arrived at Egypt’s Ain Sukhna terminal on 16 October. Ain Sukhna is the Red Sea terminus of the Sumed pipeline to the Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir, implying that the crude is destined for the European market. (CONTINUED - 1320 WORDS)
