12-Berth Ras Tanura Terminal Restarts, Easing Oil Supply Chain

For oil supply chain strategists, the reactivation of the Ras Tanura loading complex is the single most consequential event since the Strait of Hormuz crisis began. With 12 simultaneous tanker berths and a potential to restore millions of barrels per day to the market, the terminal's restart will ripple through inventory replenishment schedules, chartering negotiations, and just-in-time refinery supply chains across Asia and Europe. The initial movements of Bahri's VLCCs—after navigating the strait with transponders off—highlight both the logistical triumph and the persistent security calculus.

On June 25, 2026, signals emerged that Saudi Arabia was about to resume crude oil loadings from the massive Ras Tanura terminal complex in the Persian Gulf, marking a turning point in global oil supply recovery after the Iran conflict. This development comes more than a week after the US-brokered peace agreement that paved the way for the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil passes. The restart of activity at Ras Tanura, idle since early March 2026, is a concrete step toward restoring the pre-war flow of approximately 7 million barrels per day of Saudi crude exports.

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Three VLCCs from Bahri, the state-owned shipping giant and one of the world's largest tanker operators—identified as Zaynah, Amad, and Qasba—were tracked approaching the single-point moorings at Ju’aymah.

The terminal complex, comprising the Ju’aymah crude loading points, the Ras Tanura oil terminal, and the Ju’aymah LPG terminal, is one of the world's largest export facilities. It can accommodate up to 12 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) simultaneously, with the two crude-focused terminals having the capacity to load millions of barrels daily. Its inactivity throughout the war created a significant bottleneck, forcing Saudi Arabia to rely on alternative but less efficient export routes, such as the Red Sea terminals, which added transit time and costs. Now, with the Strait of Hormuz deemed safe for navigation and peace holding, the infrastructure is coming back online, immediately easing the logistical strain that had driven spot tanker rates to record highs and widened crude price differentials.

The first tangible sign of the restart was observed through automatic identification system (AIS) data and satellite tracking. Three VLCCs from Bahri, the state-owned shipping giant and one of the world's largest tanker operators—identified as Zaynah, Amad, and Qasba—were tracked approaching the single-point moorings at Ju’aymah. Notably, these vessels had been lingering near the strait, briefly disappeared from tracking screens as they crossed the high-risk waterway with transponders off, and reappeared at the terminal anchorage earlier on June 25. The fact that these are the first Bahri-operated tankers to enter the Gulf since the war underscores the cautious but determined ramp-up. In addition to the three vessels already inside, maritime data shows at least three more Bahri supertankers holding outside Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman, plus other ships en route, indicating that the company is planning sustained liftings.

The implications for the global supply chain are substantial. The reanimation of Ras Tanura means the swift return of a major source of crude to refiners in Asia, Europe, and beyond, which had been scrambling for replacements. Analysts expect a near-term downward pressure on oil prices and a normalization of freight costs as the effective supply of tankers increases—ships previously trapped inside the Gulf or idled abroad can now reposition. The Bahri fleet's re-entry into the Gulf could signal that charter rates for VLCCs on the benchmark Middle East-to-Asia route may retreat from wartime peaks, providing cost relief for import-dependent nations. However, the process of ramping up to full capacity is likely to be gradual, as terminal operators must ensure the integrity of mooring systems, pipelines, and storage facilities after a prolonged shutdown.