Kuwait exported no crude oil in April 2026, marking the first such stoppage since the aftermath of the Gulf War, according to ship-tracking platform TankerTrackers.
In a post on X on Saturday, May 2, the firm said Kuwait shipped “zero barrels of crude oil” during April, describing it as an unprecedented pause in exports over the past three decades.
Despite the halt in crude shipments, Kuwait has continued to produce oil. TankerTrackers said output is being diverted into storage and refining, with some refined products still reaching international markets. “Crude oil, however, hasn’t departed to our best knowledge,” the firm noted.
The disruption is linked to tensions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply is transported. Restrictions and security concerns in the waterway have disrupted normal shipping routes across the Gulf.
The last time Kuwait’s crude exports fell to zero was during Iraq’s invasion in 1990. In early 1991, retreating Iraqi forces set fire to hundreds of oil wells, severely damaging infrastructure and slashing production capacity for nearly two years.
Kuwait, a key member of OPEC, plays a central role in global energy markets, with the bulk of its crude traditionally exported to Asia and Europe.
