The East-West onshore pipeline began partial operations last Thursday, though reaching its full capacity of 4 million barrels per day remains a multi-week objective. Current estimates from trade sources indicate that Yanbu is processing approximately 2 million barrels per day. State giant Aramco has already communicated revised October loading schedules to its Asian refinery partners, signaling a return to more predictable export flows.

Satellite analysis from TankerTrackers.com confirms the scale of the recovery, identifying nearly 10 million barrels of crude staged across the Yanbu and Al Muajjiz terminals. Vessel-tracking data shows 40 tankers positioned in the area, a sharp contrast to the stagnation following the September 10 attacks. While exports from the Middle East rebounded to 12.8 million barrels per day this month, the shift remains vulnerable to ongoing Houthi threats against maritime traffic in the Red Sea.