Kuwait records zero crude oil exports in April for first time in 30 years

Kuwait did not export any crude oil during April, marking the first time in over three decades that the Gulf producer has recorded zero monthly crude exports, according to TankerTrackers website. In a post on X, the monitoring group said, "During April 2026, Kuwait exported zero barrels of crude oil for the first time since the end of Gulf War I." TankerTrackers said that while Kuwait continues to produce oil, exports of crude have effectively halted. "Kuwait still produces oil which it then takes partly into storage and partly into refined products; some of which has been exported," they added.

BREAKING: DURING APRIL 2026, KUWAIT EXPORTED ZERO BARRELS OF CRUDE OIL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE END OF GULF WAR I#OOTT #IranWar #Tankers #Kuwait

— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) May 2, 2026

The firm, which tracks global maritime oil shipments, added that the disruption appears linked to conditions affecting regional shipping routes, including constraints in the Strait of Hormuz. The country remains a major OPEC producer, and its oil exports are a key component of global energy supply chains, particularly in Asia and Europe.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Qatar urged Iran to adhere to provisions of international law, the UN charter, and prioritise the interests in the region amid the security situation in West Asia, with the need to support efforts to de-escalate tensions. During a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Araghchi on Saturday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised that freedom of navigation is a well-established and non-negotiable principle, and that closing the Strait of Hormuz or using it as a bargaining chip would only exacerbate the crisis and jeopardise the vital interests of the region's countries. He noted the potential negative repercussions this could have on global energy and food supplies, as well as on the market and supply chains' stability", the statement said.
Meanwhile, the United States has redirected 48 vessels in the Persian Gulf, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, over the past 20 days amid ongoing enforcement actions related to restrictions on Iranian maritime assets by the US Navy. The update was shared by US Central Command (CENTCOM) in a post on X on Saturday, which said that the USS New Orleans (LPD-18) was operating in the Arabian Sea as part of its deployment during what it described as a blockade of Iranian ports.