Kpler: Saudi terminal's busiest loading day points to 'changing vessel behaviour'

Kpler: Saudi terminal's busiest loading day points to 'changing vessel behaviour'

Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura terminal recorded its busiest loading day since before the war on 21 September, as six very large crude carriers (VLCCs) lifted close to 12 million barrels at Ras Tanura and Juaymah, according to analytics firm Kpler.

The surge followed disruption to the kingdom's East-West pipeline, which normally allows Saudi crude to bypass the Strait of Hormuz altogether by moving oil overland to the Red Sea coast. 

Kpler's analysts say some of the six vessels involved in the loading surge had already been flagged for dark ship-to-ship transfers or unusual port calls in the previous six weeks, suggesting the rerouting seen on 21 September “sits on top of a longer-running pattern of changing vessel behaviour”.

Ras Tanura just recorded its busiest loading day since before the war.

Following disruption to Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, 6 VLCCs loaded nearly 12 million barrels at Ras Tanura and Juaymah on 21 September — highlighting how quickly crude flows are adapting to pressure… pic.twitter.com/B9FWVfF7Kn

— Kpler (@Kpler) September 22, 2026