Abu Dhabi, July 24 (SANA) Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has launched its seventh spot-market tender since June for crude oil cargoes, as the UAE seeks to maintain export flexibility amid heightened regional tensions and disruptions to Middle East shipping routes.
The tender covers cargoes scheduled for loading between August and October, according to trade sources cited by Reuters on Friday. The sources said ADNOC automatically rejected bids below its target price, with offers due by July 27 and remaining valid until at least July 29.
The company is offering buyers several loading options, including the UAE ports of Zirku and Das Island in the Gulf, as well as Fujairah port outside the Strait of Hormuz. Buyers can also arrange ship-to-ship transfers off the coast of Fujairah or near Malaysia.
The move comes as security concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors, have increased risks for oil shipments from the Gulf. Producers and traders have increasingly relied on alternative routes and logistics arrangements to maintain supply flows and reduce exposure to disruptions in the strategic waterway.
Through previous tenders since June, ADNOC has sold more than 74 million barrels of crude oil to refiners and traders, using its tanker network to move cargoes outside the Gulf and transfer them to other vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
The company also boosted its June spot crude sales to at least 48 million barrels after completing the sale of 18 million barrels through its third tender of the month.
Energy analysts say the expanded use of alternative export routes, particularly Fujairah, highlights efforts by Gulf producers to strengthen the resilience of oil exports during periods of geopolitical uncertainty. However, such alternatives remain limited compared with the capacity and strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil shipments traditionally passes.
T.S /ABD
