Gulf states weigh energy corridor to Mediterranean through Haifa - report
Gulf countries explore new oil export routes that could include a land corridor to the Mediterranean through Israel’s port of Haifa, to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, Financial Times reports
Gulf countries are considering a major expansion of oil export routes that could include a direct overland corridor to the Mediterranean via the Israeli port of Haifa, as part of efforts to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, The Financial Times reported.
The proposals under review would reshape regional energy logistics by reducing reliance on the Persian Gulf chokepoint, instead building a network of pipelines, rail links, and road corridors stretching from the Arabian Peninsula toward Mediterranean export hubs.
Saudi Arabia is currently the only major Gulf exporter maintaining steady flows during the conflict, relying on its East-West pipeline, which carries crude to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and avoids the Strait of Hormuz entirely. That system is now seen across the region as a template for future expansion.
“In hindsight, the East-West pipeline looks like a genius masterstroke,” a senior Gulf energy executive told FT.
One of the most politically significant options being examined is reportedly a corridor linking Gulf infrastructure to the Mediterranean through Israel’s northern port of Haifa, effectively integrating the eastern and western ends of the region into a single overland export chain.