Saudi ramps up Gulf crude loadings after East–West pipeline disruption

On Sept. 21, 2026 Saudi Aramco increased crude loadings from Gulf export terminals — around 14 million barrels on seven VLCCs — after drone damage forced a shutdown of its East–West pipeline, providing partial recovery of shipments while the pipeline restart process continued.

Rerouting loadings to Gulf terminals and using ship-to-ship transfers via Egyptian ports eases an immediate global supply shock and weighed on oil prices. For Egyptian Mediterranean terminals and regional fuel importers, the changes raise logistical and timing risks — potentially higher freight and handling costs — but do not by themselves demonstrate sovereign FX or fiscal stress.

Progress toward full pipeline pumping capacity over the next 6–8 weeks, and subsequent sustained export volumes through Red Sea ports.