Saudi Aramco offers more oil to China outside Strait of Hormuz

RIYADH, Aug 26: Saudi Aramco has offered additional crude oil cargoes for September loading to Asian buyers through routes outside the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

The Saudi oil giant has begun a second consecutive week of offering Arab Medium and Arab Heavy crude to Asian customers, with cargoes available through ship-to-ship transfers off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates or Sohar in Oman, both located outside the strategic waterway.

The latest move follows the sale of at least 4 million barrels of Saudi crude to China this month through ship-to-ship transfers off Sohar, according to shipping data cited by Reuters.

Shipping data also showed that Aramco has used tankers with their tracking systems switched off to transport crude through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened security risks since the US-Iran war began in February.

The shift toward alternative transfer points outside the strait highlights efforts by Saudi Arabia and Asian oil buyers to reduce exposure to disruptions in one of the world's most strategically important oil shipping routes.