Saudi Aramco resumed crude loadings on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf after a near four-month halt, shipping data showed, as the world's biggest oil exporter joined ‌a rush to move cargoes amid industry hopes of a return to normal.

Two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) controlled by Saudi's shipping arm Bahri were seen loading crude at Ras Tanura, the world's biggest oil port, while ⁠another was heading towards the terminal, shipping data showed on Friday. A fourth VLCC waited nearby. Each VLCC is capable of loading 2 million barrels of oil.

Ras Tanura sits on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast on the Gulf, west of the Strait of Hormuz. It used to export more than 5 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude before the conflict. Aramco last ‌loaded a ⁠cargo from Ras Tanura port for China on March 8, LSEG data showed.

Supply pressure is increasing after crude shipments through the strait rose this week to their highest level since the conflict broke out. Saudi Aramco may cut August prices sharply next week as competition among producers intensifies.

"Two million barrels a day came back online in three weeks, and the recovery is spread across the region," ⁠Rystad Energy's MENA research director Aditya Saraswat said in a note, adding that the supply picture is clearly improving.

The consultancy now estimates that shut-in production across the Gulf has fallen to 9.6 million bpd in mid-June, down from 11.7 million bpd just three weeks ago, and expects a full supply recovery in the region by the end of the year.

(With input from Reuters)