Iran’s most important oil terminal is back in business. Crude loadings resumed at Kharg Island on June 20 after a six-week US Navy blockade choked off the vast majority of the country’s petroleum exports.
The numbers tell a brutal story about what the blockade actually did. Iran’s oil loadings collapsed from an average of 2.1 million barrels per day to just 567 thousand barrels per day. That’s a roughly 73% drop, and it happened because Kharg Island handles approximately 90% of the country’s crude exports.
What happened and why it matters now
The blockade lifted following an interim peace agreement that restored commercial shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz. At least three Very Large Crude Carriers were confirmed loading at Kharg Island on the day operations resumed.
Shipping monitors confirmed initial tanker departures carrying millions of barrels shortly after the blockade was lifted. The crude is primarily destined for Chinese markets, which have historically been the largest buyer of Iranian oil even during periods of heavy Western sanctions.
