Saudi jet fuel exports to Europe hit highest level since Hormuz closure

Saudi Jet Fuel Supply to Europe Surpasses Pre-Hormuz Closure Levels

Saudi Arabia is on track to deliver more jet fuel to Europe in June than it did before the Strait of Hormuz was shut down, according to data from shipping analytics firms Kpler and Vortexa, underscoring how Gulf energy exporters have adapted trade routes in response to the ongoing Iran conflict.shafaqna

Red Sea Route Fills the Gap

Jet fuel imports to the European Union and United Kingdom from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu reached 118,000 barrels per day in the first week of June, their highest level since August 2025, Kpler data shows. Vortexa places the estimated flow even higher, at 140,000 barrels per day. The previous peak monthly rate this year was just 77,000 barrels per day in January, according to Kpler.inkl

The surge reflects Saudi Arabia’s expanded use of its East-West pipeline system to move crude and refined products from its Gulf Coast refineries to Yanbu, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz entirely. Crude shipments from Yanbu reached record rates of 3.4 million barrels per day in March after the strait’s closure, with loading volumes at times surpassing 5 million barrels daily.agbi

Europe’s Supply Crisis Eases

The milestone comes after months of acute concern over European jet fuel supplies. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on March 2, 2026, effectively halting the passage of tankers through the waterway that previously carried one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. In April, no jet fuel shipments from the Middle East were recorded heading for Europe — the first time that had occurred since Kpler began tracking the data in 2017.reuters

Europe scrambled to secure alternative supplies, pulling in record volumes from the U.S. Gulf Coast and, more recently, from northeast Asia. South Korea shipped its first jet fuel cargo to Europe since the war began in late May. The EU’s transport commissioner said on June 5 that there were “no indications” of imminent jet fuel shortages, though high prices were forcing airlines to cut unprofitable routes.reuters

Prices Remain Elevated

Despite the improved supply picture, jet fuel prices in Europe remain far above pre-conflict levels. Prices surged past $200 per barrel in April and reached a record $228 per barrel in March, according to Reuters. The International Energy Agency had warned that Europe could face physical shortages by June if it failed to replace more than half of its usual Middle Eastern supply — a threshold the continent now appears to have met through diversified sourcing. Saudi Aramco declined to comment on the increase in jet fuel exports to Europe.energyconnects