Gulf of Oman Sees 24 Million Barrels in Ship-to-Ship Transfers in One Day

Tanker operators moved at least 24 million barrels of crude oil, LNG, and LPG in the Gulf of Oman in a single day, pumping cargo between tankers outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers tracked 17 transfers on Thursday 4 September. More loaded tankers were waiting for partners. Waters were crowded and port services ran around the clock, according to Iran International.

A further 7.25 million barrels, along with two LNG tankers, were assembling to transit Hormuz under US Central Command protection.

No names or operator nationalities were identified. SOMO and QatarEnergy had been selling crude at record discounts for loading inside the strait in late August, as direct transits stayed far below normal. Days before the transfers, the Saudi supertanker SIDR was struck by three projectiles while exiting Hormuz.