The Iran-Israel/US conflict has halted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway carrying one-fifth of global oil and LNG. Led by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries are accelerating ports and pipelines to reduce reliance on this chokepoint. Experts say it will require years and significant investment.
Tehran has weaponised the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil and gas flows. UAE businessman and Special Envoy Badr Jafar stated, "The crisis is creating conditions for genuine intraregional economic integration, rerouting commerce away from the chokepoint."
Saudi Arabia's 1,200-km East-West pipeline runs from Persian Gulf fields to Red Sea port Yanbu, while UAE's Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) links Habshan to Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman. These have enabled limited exports, demonstrating pipelines' potential to bypass the strait.
Kpler analyst Victoria Grabenwöger said, "Feasible measures include expanding Saudi's East-West pipeline and UAE's ADCOP. Iraq-Turkey (Kirkuk-Ceyhan), Basra-Aqaba, and IPSA could be revived." Energy analyst Natalia Katona highlighted Iraq's urgency, and Bloomberg's Javier Blas predicted better bypass options in five years.
Gulf Research Center's Naji Abi-Aad noted historical pipelines shut by political conflicts, but Iran's blockade has spurred Gulf cooperation on new infrastructure.
