The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for over a month, prompting major Gulf oil producers to accelerate efforts to secure alternative export routes.

The waterway, a vital artery linking the Persian Gulf to global markets, typically handles more than a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade and about one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas shipments. With tanker traffic facing heightened risks, countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq are increasingly relying on land-based infrastructure to maintain exports.

Redirecting exports to the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman

According to media reports, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have turned to existing pipeline networks that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, redirecting crude oil flows toward the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman.

Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, which stretches over 1,200 kilometers from its eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu Port, has emerged as a key alternative. Originally constructed during the Iran-Iraq War to mitigate similar risks, the pipeline is now operating at near full capacity.

Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser recently said the pipeline remains the kingdom's only viable alternative export route under current conditions, noting that crude shipments are being redirected to meet contractual obligations.

Market estimates indicate the pipeline is transporting up to 7 million barrels per day, including supplies for domestic refineries and exports via Yanbu. Additional refined products are also being shipped from the Red Sea coast.

Meanwhile, the UAE is utilizing the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which links inland oil fields to the Port of Fujairah. The 420-kilometer pipeline, operational since 2012, allows Abu Dhabi to bypass the Strait of Hormuz by exporting directly to the Gulf of Oman. The pipeline has a rated capacity of 1.5 million barrels per day. Data from market analysts suggest exports from Fujairah have increased notably in recent weeks.

Northern corridor to the Mediterranean

Iraq, whose oil exports were previously heavily reliant on the Strait of Hormuz – with crude oil exports standing at around 3.5 million barrels per day before the conflict – has been forced to slash production sharply due to transportation bottlenecks.

To restore part of its export capacity, Iraq has reactivated a northern pipeline corridor linking oil fields in Kirkuk to the Ceyhan Port, located on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Türkiye.

The pipeline, running through the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and into Türkiye, has resumed operations with an initial capacity of about 250,000 barrels per day. Iraqi authorities have also moved to rehabilitate an additional 300-kilometer pipeline segment designed to bypass the Kurdistan region and connect directly to the Turkish border.

According to Iraq's Ministry of Oil, the combined capacity of these routes could reach up to 650,000 barrels per day in the near term. Plans are also under discussion to expand export infrastructure further, including a potential pipeline linking Iraq to the Syrian Mediterranean coast.

Truck-based overland transport

While reliance on pipelines has grown, analysts have pointed out that total alternative pipeline capacity, at around 9 million barrels per day, is still far below the normal shipping volume passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which averages roughly 20 million barrels daily.

As a supplementary measure, Iraq is considering transporting crude oil by truck to ports such as Syria's Baniyas port and Jordan's Aqaba port.

However, this method faces significant limitations. Truck transport is costly, slow and inefficient, with each vehicle typically carrying between 100 and 700 barrels per day. Meeting the demand for transporting hundreds of thousands of barrels per day would require thousands of trucks, which also remain vulnerable to potential attacks.

Security risks remain a major concern for all alternative routes. Pipelines and overland transport corridors are within range of missiles and drones amid the ongoing conflict. Rising tensions in the Red Sea have further complicated the situation, with concerns that chokepoints such as the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could also face disruptions.

Türkiye explores diversified transit options

Against this backdrop, Türkiye is reportedly developing multiple contingency routes to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. According to Turkish media reports, five alternative corridors are under consideration, combining both land and maritime transport.

These include routes passing through Iraq and Syria, as well as corridors linked to the Suez-Red Sea passage. Additional options under review involve transit via Oman and longer maritime routes around Africa, including the Cape of Good Hope.

Analysts say such diversification efforts underscore growing concerns over supply security and highlight the strategic importance of building resilient and flexible energy transport networks in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment.