Kuwait exported zero barrels of crude oil in April 2026, marking the first such month without shipments since the end of the 1991 Gulf War.

TankerTrackers.com, a maritime monitoring service, disclosed the development in a post on X late Saturday. The tracker stated that no crude oil departed Kuwaiti loading terminals during the month, to its best knowledge. Kuwait continued producing oil, directing output partly to storage tanks and partly to refineries for processing into products, some of which were exported.

The halt stems from ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the key chokepoint for Kuwait's oil exports. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, the state-owned oil firm, relies entirely on the strait for shipments, having exported about 1.9 million barrels per day of crude through it in 2025. The waterway has faced blockades and threats since early 2026 amid escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.

In March, KPC began cutting crude production and refinery runs as storage filled amid slowed Hormuz transits. The company declared force majeure on some shipments in late March and again in April, citing the inability to meet obligations due to the blockade. KPC noted that domestic fuel needs remained secure.

Kuwait typically produces around 2.6 million barrels per day of crude. The zero-export month underscores the severity of the Hormuz crisis, which has forced other Gulf producers to scale back operations and reroute where possible.

Global oil markets felt the strain earlier this year, with Brent crude surpassing $91 per barrel in March following initial disruptions. Analysts warn that prolonged Hormuz issues could exacerbate supply shortages, though strategic reserves and alternative routes have mitigated some effects.

No immediate KPC comment on the April data was available as of Sunday morning. The tracker emphasized the rarity of the event, last seen during Iraq's 1990-1991 occupation of Kuwait.