The findings follow data indicating that Saudi Arabia's average crude exports for the first 15 days of October hit 8.165 million barrels per day, the highest rate of 2026. Satellite imagery from Copernicus Sentinel-2 previously showed more than 20 million barrels loading on October 15 alone across Red Sea and Persian Gulf terminals, with 12.7 million barrels at Yanbu. The kingdom continues to maintain shipping activity even after intercepting a Houthi ballistic missile attack on October 16.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Saudi Yanbu Exports Lag Reported Levels as Tankers Sit for 3 Days
Commodities3 days ago
New satellite observations of the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu show only one very large crude carrier has departed after several vessels spent days loading oil. This ship movement suggests that actual crude exports from the terminal are lower than previously reported, as five tankers remained stationary over a three day window despite actively taking on cargo. While some smaller tankers have left the port, the lack of departures among larger vessels contradicts earlier estimates of surging output from the facility.
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