Status of Bunkering & Loading Operations
Market & Supply Impact
- Fujairah, UAE
- As of March 17, 2026, bunkering continues but sales have largely stalled due to marine fuel price surges.
- Multiple drone strikes on March 14, 16, and 17 caused fires at storage and industrial zones, leading to temporary suspensions of oil loading.
- At least two terminals were recently affected, forcing some berths to close.
- Other Key Hubs:
- Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia
: The 550,000 b/d refinery and critical export terminal was targeted on March 2 and 4, and later shut as a precautionary measure. - Ruwais, UAE
: The 817,000 b/d refinery was temporarily shut down following a drone strike that caused a fire at the industrial complex. - Khor Fakkan
: While no formal alerts have been issued, offshore areas near this port have reported GPS spoofing and signal jamming, disrupting safe navigation.
- Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia
Market & Supply Impact
- Global Supply Redistribution: Major shipping firms like A.P. Moller - Maersk are redistributing their bunker supply to other global hubs as Middle Eastern fuel flows become uneven.
- Price Increases: Bunker prices in
Fujairah
jumped significantly, with Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) quoted at $1,060.50/mt in early March—a sharp premium compared to other global ports. - Production Cuts: UAE's crude output has fallen by more than half due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, forcing state oil giant ADNOC to shut in both onshore and offshore production.
