Oil loading operations have been halted in Fujairah Port, a pivotal hub for global maritime refueling and crude exports, following a drone attack and fire incident on Saturday. Located on the Gulf of Oman approximately 70 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz, this crucial port serves as an essential conduit to the world’s market amidst current conflicts.
Last year, Fujairah exported over 1.7 million barrels per day in crude oil and refined fuels, accounting for about 1.7% of global daily demand. Situated near the Strait of Hormuz’s closed entryway due to the Iran crisis, Fujairah plays a heightened role in global supply chains.
In 2023, the port saw nearly 7.4 million cubic meters (or approximately 7.33 million metric tons) of marine fuels sold, ranking fourth globally after Singapore, Rotterdam, and China’s Zhoushan. The UAE, prior to war, produced more than three million barrels per day (bpd) in crude oil, operating a 1.5 million bpd pipeline that can circumvent the Strait.
The Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP), also known as the Habshan-Fujairah line, transports oil from Abu Dhabi’s fields to Fujairah, where Murban grade is loaded and primarily sold to Asian buyers. With Hormuz largely inaccessible for exports, significant disruptions at Fujairah could necessitate a reduction in UAE crude production—a country that holds the third-largest OPEC producer.
Fujairah Port boasts an impressive 18 million cubic meters of storage capacity, ranking among the world’s leading hubs for crude and fuel storage along with blending operations. Major global entities like VTTI, Vitol, ADNOC, Vopak, and others operate at this vital maritime area.
The Fujairah Oil Industry Zone is home to the Middle East’s largest commercial storage capacity for refined products, underscoring the strategic importance of this region in both oil logistics and refining.