Some oil-loading operations at United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah were suspended on Saturday after a drone-related incident triggered a fire, according to industry and trade sources.
Fujairah is one of the UAE’s most important energy hubs. Located outside the Strait of Hormuz, the emirate functions as a major bunkering centre and crude export terminal. It also serves as the outlet for roughly 1 million barrels per day of the UAE’s Murban crude oil, an amount equal to about 1% of global oil demand.
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Authorities confirmed that a fire broke out after debris fell during the interception of a drone, news agency Reuters reported.
The emirate’s media office said there were no injuries reported, and civil defence teams were deployed to manage the situation and contain the fire.
While officials acknowledged the incident, they did not provide details about the suspension of oil-loading operations reported by industry and trade sources.
Escalating tensions in the region
The development came only hours after the United States targeted military facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export terminal.
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The situation adds to growing concerns about the stability of energy supplies in the Gulf.
Earlier in the week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that the world is facing its largest-ever oil supply crisis. According to the agency, the crisis stems from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route along the Iranian coast. The disruption has followed airstrikes on Iran launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, which have already forced some producers, including the UAE, to cut oil output.
The Fujairah incident is the latest in a series of disruptions affecting the UAE’s energy facilities.
Earlier this week, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) shut down its Ruwais refinery after a fire broke out at a facility within the complex following a drone strike, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Limited clarity on operational impact
At this stage, the full effect of the Fujairah incident on oil shipments remains unclear.
ADNOC, which operates in the emirate, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the situation.
Earlier, Bloomberg News reported that some oil-loading operations at Fujairah had been halted following the drone incident and fire.
(With inputs from Reuters and Bloomberg)