Can Arab countries bypass the Strait of Hormuz?

🔸Saudi Arabia has been sending part of its oil through the desert to the Red Sea for months in order to export it without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. But in September, an attack on the pipeline for that route returned part of Saudi Arabia’s exports to the same waterway Riyadh was trying to keep its distance from.

🔸With reloading resuming on the western coast, Aramco is now switching between two routes; each with different capacities and risks.

🔸In the meantime, Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, said that building new pipelines could erase the importance of the Strait of Hormuz within two years. Arab countries are also pursuing plans ranging from expanding the route in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to connecting Iraq to the Mediterranean, which are intended to increase the ability to continue exports during a crisis.

🔸To what extent does the experience of the past few months support such expectations? Can oil and other regional goods be delivered to the market without passing through Hormuz, or can arrangements for passage through the strait be put in place so that the continuation of trade does not depend on Iran’s agreement?

🔸You can read the full report on the Radio Farda website.