Saudi desert truck convoys reshape global oil trade routes
Desert truck convoys crossing the Arabian Peninsula have become a critical emergency channel for global energy flows after the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Gulf states are rapidly expanding overland logistics networks to sustain exports of oil, gas, and industrial goods, according to industry reports and shipping data.
The disruption began after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following escalating military tensions and strikes involving the United States and Israel. Before the closure, roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil passed daily through the waterway. Current estimates from maritime analytics firms indicate flows have dropped to about 5 percent of pre-crisis levels, forcing exporters to reroute supply chains through land corridors and alternative maritime paths.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman have accelerated the use of pipelines, highways, and rail networks to compensate for lost maritime capacity. Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, with a capacity of up to 7 million barrels per day, now operates at maximum utilization. Officials from Saudi Aramco have warned that even a swift reopening of Hormuz would not immediately restore normal market conditions, as logistical bottlenecks persist across the region’s transport system.
Overland freight has expanded sharply along key routes such as Saudi Arabia’s Route 95, which crosses the Rub’ al-Khali desert and links Gulf border crossings. Cargo volumes moving through key checkpoints have surged significantly within a matter of weeks, reflecting a rapid shift from maritime to land-based logistics. Saudi Railways has also launched new freight corridors connecting eastern and western ports, while global shipping operators have introduced hybrid sea-road services that route containers through Red Sea ports before transferring them overland into the Gulf.
Despite this expansion, transport constraints remain a major limitation. A shortage of trucks and drivers continues to restrict capacity, even as rising freight revenues attract new entrants into the sector. In some cases, transport firms report unprecedented profit spikes driven by emergency demand for overland logistics services. Energy markets are also adjusting in parallel, with liquefied natural gas flows partially stabilised by new production capacity elsewhere, particularly in North America, which has helped offset some of the disruption from Gulf export constraints.
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