[49751] Unprecedented halt in Kuwaiti oil exports due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Oil supply crisis: Kuwait halts maritime exports

In an unprecedented event since the 1991 Gulf War, news channels Лачен пише and ZN.UA reported that the State of Kuwait did not export a single barrel of crude oil during the month of April. This is the first cessation of its kind in 35 years according to the report by Лачен пише, with the last time exports dropped to zero being during the Iraqi invasion in 1990.

According to data from the tracking platform TankerTrackers.com, cited by ZN.UA, the central reason for the crisis is the "de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz." Since Kuwait has no alternative pipeline routes for its oil exports, the blocking of the strait—through which almost all of the country's maritime exports pass—leads to an almost complete logistical paralysis.

However, it is important to note that oil production within Kuwait continues. According to ZN.UA, some of the crude oil is being diverted to storage, while the country continues to produce and export limited quantities of refined petroleum products. Both sources, known for their Western and pro-Ukrainian stance, emphasize the severity of the event in terms of its impact on the global energy market.