The United Arab Emirates significantly increased its crude oil exports from late June, with shipments rising by around 30 per cent to more than 3.9 million barrels per day, according to tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, Vortexa and Kpler.
The figure is just below the highest monthly export level recorded since 2017.
The recovery comes after disruption linked to the recent conflict involving Iran.
According to Bloomberg, the UAE was able to return exports to levels seen before the fighting by using a combination of alternative transport routes and carefully managed tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz.
A key part of that strategy has been the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline, which carries crude directly to the Emirate’s east coast, avoiding the Strait of Hormuz.
The pipeline has a capacity of up to 1.8 million barrels per day and has helped maintain export volumes during periods of regional tension.
The UAE has also relied on its own tanker fleet to move oil into the Gulf of Oman, where cargoes have been transferred to larger vessels for onwards shipment.
In addition, the country has used stored crude, including supplies held at the 42-million-barrel Mandous underground storage facility near Fujairah, to ensure uninterrupted deliveries.
Earlier figures from the International Energy Agency showed UAE exports had recovered to around 85 per cent of their pre-conflict level in early June, compared with about 1.9 million barrels per day in March.
The latest data suggest exports have now returned to, and in some cases exceeded, those earlier levels.
The government is also pursuing longer-term plans to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier in July, Foreign Trade Minister Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi said, "The UAE aims to eliminate its reliance on the strategic waterway altogether.”
The plan includes expanding port infrastructure at Dibba, Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, alongside new transport links such as pipelines, rail connections and roads serving the country’s oil and gas industry.
Energy markets are now assessing how much additional crude the UAE could bring to international markets following its departure from OPEC in May, which removed previous production limits.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs expect the global oil market to move back into surplus as the impact of the regional conflict eases and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to recover.
Oil flows across the region have already recovered to roughly three-quarters of their pre-conflict levels. Combined with a fragile peace agreement between the United States and Iran, the improvement in supply has contributed to lower oil prices, with crude trading close to 70 US dollars a barrel
