Kuwait Petroleum Corp Plans To Expand Tanker Fleet Amid Oil Disruptions.
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State-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) is actively pursuing a significant expansion of its maritime tanker fleet to secure maritime export routes against escalating regional energy disruptions. According to KPC Managing Director for International Marketing, Shaikh Khaled Al-Sabah, the conglomerate is currently in the market to acquire additional vessels, complementing its existing proprietary fleet and chartered tonnage. The strategic push comes as intensifying geopolitical tensions in the Middle East compounded by ongoing U.S.-Iran friction severely constrict vessel traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz, where shipping data recently recorded only seven commodity vessels transiting the chokepoint in a single day.With Kuwait currently exporting approximately 1 million barrels of crude per day, KPC is deploying innovative logistics workarounds, including conducting ship-to-ship (STS) transfers outside the strait to maintain the uninterrupted delivery schedules to international clients.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) is looking to acquire additional ships as the state-owned oil company expands its fleet amid disruptions to regional energy trade.
KPC Managing Director for International Marketing Shaikh Khaled Al-Sabah said the company already operates its own fleet and is currently in the market for more vessels.
The planned fleet expansion comes as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt established shipping routes and complicate the movement of crude and petroleum products.
KPC is using a combination of its own tankers and chartered vessels to deliver crude directly to customers, with Kuwait currently exporting around 1 million barrels of crude per day, according to Al-Sabah.
Some Kuwaiti crude is also being moved through ship-to-ship transfers outside the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the efforts by Gulf producers to maintain export flows despite restrictions on traffic through the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major risk for Gulf oil exporters, with vessel traffic sharply reduced as tensions between Iran and the United States escalate. Only seven commodity vessels crossed the waterway on Monday, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters.
The shipping expansion also comes as higher oil prices and elevated freight and fuel costs reshape global energy logistics. Brent crude climbed toward $98 a barrel on Tuesday as supply concerns intensified following attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure.
