What evidence does the news provide that UAE and Kuwait increased naphtha exports via ship-to-ship (STS) transfers outside the Strait of Hormuz between August and September?

The news states that ADNOC's marine chartering division arranged 25 vessels for STS operations off Sohar Port in Oman — outside the Strait of Hormuz — during August–September, handling approximately 1.5 million tonnes of naphtha; additionally, Kuwait Petroleum resumed naphtha deliveries to Japan in June after a three-month pause, with September cargoes priced at up to $45/tonne premium to the Japanese benchmark, and confirmed its capability to conduct STS transfers outside the Strait, often near Vadhinar off India’s west coast.

How did the increase in UAE and Kuwait naphtha exports impact regional petrochemical operations in Asia during August–September?

The improved Gulf supply supported naphtha cracker utilization rates in Japan and South Korea at over 70% during August–September — up from about 68% in March–April — and enabled SCG’s naphtha cracker in Rayong, Thailand, which had been offline for six months due to force majeure, to restart on 17 September.

UAE and Kuwait Expand Naphtha Exports

18 hours ago

UAE and Kuwait increased naphtha exports via ship-to-ship transfers outside the Strait of Hormuz, totaling 1.6 million tons in August-September. This supply boost supports Asian petrochemical operating rates above 70% and aids plant restarts like SCG's.

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2026-10-09

UAE and Kuwait Expand Naphtha Exports

UAE and Kuwait Expand Naphtha Exports

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