The United States imports Iraqi fuel oil exported via Syria for the first time

Glonghui, July 24th｜According to shipping data and two informed sources, the US has, for the first time, begun importing fuel oil of Iraqi origin exported via Syria. Earlier this year, trade routes in the Gulf region were disrupted, prompting Iraq to further expand its Mediterranean export channels. This alternative transportation route once again highlights how, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively obstructed for consecutive months and the Iran war continuously impacting Gulf region oil exports, shippers are seeking new ways to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and bring energy to global markets. According to Kpler shipping data, between June and July this year, three Aframax tankers loaded fuel oil at the Mediterranean Syrian port of Baniyas, bound for the US Gulf Coast. Sources familiar with the operations at the Baniyas terminal said these cargoes originated in Iraq. The sources stated that all these shipments were Iraqi fuel oil transported by truck across the border into Syria and then loaded onto ships at Baniyas. According to Kpler data, this marks the first time in history that fuel oil exports from Syria have been shipped to the US as their destination.