West Asia Oil Exports Top Pre-War Levels Amid Tanker Attacks — SkimNews
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- West Asia exported between 19.5 million and 22.5 million barrels per day on multiple days in late September, exceeding pre-war averages of 18 million bpd, according to Kpler data.
- Strait of Hormuz saw a rise in liquefied natural gas cargoes in September, reaching its highest monthly level since February, even as kinetic threats to shipping intensified.
- Kazimah III, a very large crude carrier, was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on October 1, igniting a fire, though all crew were safely evacuated.
- Marisks reported at least seven tanker attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz by October 3, with intelligence suggesting Iranian forces may be targeting predefined 'kill boxes' rather than individual vessels.
- UK Maritime Trade Operations recorded at least one attack per day in the Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Aden since October 2, underscoring sustained risks to commercial shipping.
Why it matters: Energy markets are absorbing physical disruptions without major supply collapse—exports hit 22.4 million bpd including products—but the shift to area-based missile targeting raises systemic risk for all vessels in transit, increasing insurance and operational costs for global shippers navigating the strait.
Ask SkimNews
