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Report & Data Visualisation: Shaza Al Muzayen
Editor: Sakina Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 18 (Bernama) -- With the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran showing little sign of easing, attention has again turned to the Strait of Hormuz – specifically who sends crude through the vital chokepoint and where it ends up.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman, linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints and is wide and deep enough to handle even the largest crude tankers.
In the first half of 2025, about 20.9 million barrels of oil a day moved through the strait. That was equal to roughly one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption and a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade.
Data published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that crude oil and condensate flows through the strait were heavily concentrated among a few Gulf producers between 2020 and the first half of 2025 (1H25).
Saudi Arabia consistently accounted for the largest share by origin. By 1H25, it was transporting around 5.6 million barrels per day through the strait. At that same time period, it was followed by Iraq (3.3 million barrels per day) and the United Arab Emirates (2.1 million barrels per day).
The data also shows Iran’s own outward volumes rising sharply, from 0.4 million barrels per day in 2020 to nearly 1.6 million barrels per day in 1H25, even as Saudi Arabia’s volumes remained far larger in absolute terms.
On the demand side, the EIA estimated that 89 percent of the crude oil and condensate that moved through the Strait of Hormuz went to Asian markets in 1H25.
In the first half of 2025, China, India, Japan and South Korea remained the main destinations, together receiving 74 percent of all crude oil and condensate flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
This continued a trend seen from 2020 to 2024, when the same four Asian markets also remained key destinations for crude oil and condensate passing through the strait.
China remained the top destination throughout the period, taking in more Hormuz-linked crude and condensate than any other market. By 1H25, it was moving 5.4 million barrels per day.
-- BERNAMA