Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia’s western Yanbu port rose to nearly 4 million barrels per day last week, a sharp increase from export levels before the Iran war broke out, Reuters reports, citing shipping data.

Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest oil exporter, can pump up to 7m bpd to Yanbu through its East-West pipeline, around 5m bpd of which could be available for exports, with the rest supplying local refineries, Aramco said on March 10.

In February, total Saudi crude exports exceeded 7m bpd, according to Kpler.

Crude exports via Yanbu have averaged about 2.9m barrels per day so far in March, data from Kpler showed, slightly above figures provided by LSEG.

This marks a sharp increase from an average of 770,000 bpd in January and February.

An Aramco employee walks near an oil tank at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia. — Reuters/File
An Aramco employee walks near an oil tank at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia. — Reuters/File

Opinion

Editorial

Reflection time
Updated 25 Jun, 2026

Reflection time

Israel is the biggest source of instability in the Middle East, and it is high time the US ended its blind support to Tel Aviv, if it genuinely wants peace in the region.
Raised temperatures
25 Jun, 2026

Raised temperatures

THE fraught situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir requires immense patience and cool heads. Temperatures are raised on...
Debatable remedy
25 Jun, 2026

Debatable remedy

THE Pakistan Psychiatric Society’s challenge to the Federal Shariat Court’s ruling on attempted suicide deserves...
Pezeshkian’s visit
Updated 24 Jun, 2026

Pezeshkian’s visit

Perhaps a good place to start would be the resumption of work on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.
Telecom bill
24 Jun, 2026

Telecom bill

THERE is now no question about it: the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill of 2026 is a...
Updating Islamabad
24 Jun, 2026

Updating Islamabad

ISLAMABAD is growing rapidly. Its planning, however, remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo. Despite years of ...