U.S. turns to ship-to-ship oil transfers to keep Gulf crude exports moving amid Strait of Hormuz disruption

The United States is relying on a large network of ship-to-ship oil transfers to keep Gulf crude exports moving. Reuters said the approach closely resembles tactics long associated with Iran’s sanctions-evasion operations. The shift suggests shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has faced material disruption, pushing producers and consumers toward costlier and less efficient alternative logistics routes. The report did not cite specific production or inventory figures but pointed to mounting structural pressure on global spot crude flows.