The key port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates resumed some operations after a drone strike, the latest in a series of hits threatening the country’s only oil export route outside the Strait of Hormuz.
A drone attack caused a fire in a petrochemicals area, the Fujairah Media Office said Monday. People familiar with the matter had said earlier that oil loadings had resumed after a brief halt.
Another person close to the development, who asked not to be identified, discussing confidential matters, said later that crude oil loadings from Abu Dhabi National Oil were still suspended.
Fujairah is a major hub for both crude and fuels, and has taken on increased significance for both the UAE and global markets because of its position outside the Strait of Hormuz, which has been all but closed because of the war.
The latest attack follows a warning from Iran’s military on Saturday that Fujairah and other UAE ports of Jebel Ali and Port Khalifa had become legitimate targets due to the presence of US military forces in civilian facilities, the semi-official Fars news agency had reported.
Fujairah sits at the end of a pipeline that connects it to the main oil fields in Abu Dhabi, and is the primary export terminal for the UAE’s Murban crude.
In addition to Adnoc’s crude export facilities, Fujairah port has a storage capacity of more than 70 million barrels of oil and fuels for traders needing rapid supply access. It also serves as a ship refuelling hub.
The Fujairah Oil Tanker Terminals, which handle liquid bulk cargo, are partially operational, according to a March 16 report from Inchcape Shipping Services.
It said it was unable to confirm the operational status of Adnoc’s crude oil loading facilities as authorities weren’t disclosing details.
Fujairah port was also struck by a drone on Saturday that caused a fire and halted oil loadings for about a day. The suspensions highlight the acute risks to regional supplies from the conflict, which has lifted oil prices above $100 a barrel.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the only two countries in the Persian Gulf that can bypass the Strait of Hormuz for some of their oil exports, with Riyadh rushing to boost shipments from its Red Sea coast.
The Paris-based International Energy Agency said last week the war had created the largest supply disruption in the history of the oil market, and heightened the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The agency is coordinating the release of a record 400 million barrels of oil from its members’ emergency stockpiles, with supplies in Asia made available immediately.
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