Gulf of Oman tanker attacks jolt oil-import dependent Asia
Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz have alarmed Japan, China and South Korea
Japan’s conservative prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was in Tehran when the attack happened
Updated 15 June 2019
AP
SEOUL: The blasts detonated far from the bustling megacities of Asia, but the attack this week on two tankers in the strategic Strait of Hormuz hits at the heart of the region’s oil import-dependent economies.
While the violence only directly jolted two countries in the region — one of the targeted ships was operated by a Tokyo-based company, a nearby South Korean-operated vessel helped rescue sailors — it will unnerve major economies throughout Asia.
Officials, analysts and media commentators on Friday hammered home the importance of the Strait of Hormuz for Asia, calling it a crucial lifeline, and there was deep interest in more details about the still-sketchy attack and what the US and Iran would do in the aftermath.
In the end, whether Asia shrugs it off, as some analysts predict, or its economies shudder as a result, the attack highlights the widespread worries over an extreme reliance on a single strip of water for the oil that fuels much of the region’s shared progress.
Here is a look at how Asia is handling rising tensions in a faraway but economically crucial area, compiled by AP reporters from around the world:
WHY ASIA WORRIES
The oil, of course.
Japan, South Korea and China don’t have enough of it; the Middle East does, and much of it flows through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which is the passage between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
This could make Asia vulnerable to supply disruptions from US-Iran tensions or violence in the strait.
The attack comes months after Iran threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz to retaliate against US economic sanctions, which tightened in April when the Trump administration decided to end sanctions exemptions for the five biggest importers of Iranian oil, which included China and US allies South Korea and Japan.
Japan is the world’s fourth-largest consumer of oil — after the US, China and India — and relies on the Middle East for 80 per cent of its crude oil supply. The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster led to a dramatic reduction in Japanese nuclear power generation and increased imports of natural gas, crude oil, fuel oil and coal.
In an effort to comply with Washington, Japan says it no longer imports oil from Iran. Officials also say Japanese oil companies are abiding by the embargo because they don’t want to be sanctioned. But Japan still gets oil from other Middle East nations using the Strait of Hormuz for transport.
South Korea, the world’s fifth largest importer of crude oil, also depends on the Middle East for the vast majority of its supplies.
Last month, South Korea halted its Iranian oil imports as its waivers from US sanctions on Teheran expired, and it has reportedly tried to increase oil imports from other countries.
China, the world’s largest importer of Iranian oil, “understands its growth model is vulnerable to a lack of energy sovereignty,” according to market analyst Kyle Rodda of IG, an online trading provider, and has been working over the last several years to diversify its suppliers. That includes looking to Southeast Asia and, increasingly, some oil-producing nations in Africa.
THE GEOGRAPHY AND THE POLITICS
Asia and the Middle East are linked by a flow of oil, much of it coming by sea and dependent on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran threatened to close the strait in April. It also appears poised to break a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, an accord that US President Donald Trump withdrew from last year. Under the deal saw Tehran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions.
For both Japan and South Korea, there is extreme political unease to go along with the economic worries stirred by the violence in the strait.
Both nations want to nurture their relationship with Washington, a major trading partner and military protector. But they also need to keep their economies humming, which requires an easing of tension between Washington and Tehran.
Japan’s conservative prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was in Tehran, looking to do just that when the attack happened.
His limitations in settling the simmering animosity, however, were highlighted by both the timing of the attack and a comment by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who told Abe that he had nothing to say to Trump.
In Japan, the world’s third largest economy, the tanker attack was front-page news.
The Nikkei newspaper, Japan’s major business daily, said that if mines are planted in the Strait of Hormuz, “oil trade will be paralyzed.” The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper called the Strait of Hormuz Japan’s “lifeline.”
Although the Japanese economy and industry minister has said there will be no immediate effect on stable energy supplies, the Tokyo Shimbun noted “a possibility that Japanese people’s lives will be affected.”
South Korea, worried about Middle East instability, has worked to diversify its crude sources since the energy crises of the 1970s and 1980s.
THE FUTURE
Analysts said it’s highly unlikely that Iran would follow through on its threat to close the strait. That’s because a closure could also disrupt Iran’s exports to China, which has been working with Russia to build pipelines and other infrastructure that would transport oil and gas into China.
For Japan, the attack in the Strait of Hormuz does not represent an imminent threat to Tokyo’s oil supply, said Paul Sheldon, chief geopolitical adviser at S&P Global Platts Analytics.
“Our sense is that it’s not a crisis yet,” he said of the tensions.
Seoul, meanwhile, will likely be able to withstand a modest jump in oil prices unless there’s a full-blown military confrontation, Seo Sang-young, an analyst from Seoul-based Kiwoom Securities, said.
“The rise in crude prices could hurt areas like the airlines, chemicals and shipping, but it could also actually benefit some businesses, such as energy companies (including refineries) that produce and export fuel products like gasoline,” said Seo, pointing to the diversity of South Korea’s industrial lineup. South Korea’s shipbuilding industry could also benefit as the rise in oil prices could further boost the growing demand for liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which means more orders for giant tankers that transport such gas.
RIYADH: Global investors can find a “safe harbor” in the Gulf Cooperation Council as the bloc’s public-private partnerships pipeline offers “compelling” opportunities, according to a new report.
The latest document from the Future Investment Initiative Institute highlights how economies in the region are currently driving the next wave of PPP growth.
It cites findings from Partnerships Bulletin, which ranks Saudi Arabia as second in the global emerging markets pipeline for PPP projects up to July 2025, and also places Dubai in the top 10.
While that analysis claims the Kingdom has 98 PPP projects either formally published or announced, FII says Saudi Arabia has a further 200 currently awaiting approval.
The findings align with the goals outlined in the Kingdom’s National Privatization Strategy, launched in January, which aims to raise satisfaction levels with public services across 18 target sectors, create tens of thousands of specialized jobs, and exceed 220 PPP contracts by 2030.
The strategy also aims to increase private sector capital investments to more than SR240 billion ($63.99 billion) by 2030.
The FII report says that around 90 percent of FDI into Saudi Arabia now flows into non-oil sectors, from advanced manufacturing and tourism to green energy and digital infrastructure.
“That shift reflects deliberate policy choices to open markets, standardize regulatory frameworks and use public capital to de-risk new value chains,” says the document, adding: “The result is a kind of safe harbor in an otherwise low-growth, high-uncertainty world.”
It continues: “While global FDI has stagnated or declined in many regions, the GCC’s pipeline of planned infrastructure and industrial projects now exceeds $2.5 trillion, according to Boston Consulting Group data, with PPPs playing a central role in structuring and financing them. For global investors searching for yield, diversification and inflation-linked income, this represents a compelling proposition.”
Commenting on the FII Institute report, Sally Menassa, partner at international management consulting firm Arthur D. Little, said PPPs are a strategic necessity for delivering infrastructure at speed and scale, and described Saudi Arabia’s pipeline as a “powerful execution and financing tool.”
She added: “The Kingdom’s PPP momentum must remain focused on impact, value creation and execution excellence. PPPs should not be viewed merely as a funding mechanism, but as a structural tool to enhance infrastructure performance, attract investment and support sustainable economic growth in line with Vision 2030.”
Menassa said that Saudi Arabia’s National Privitization Strategy marks a shift from a project-by-project approach to institutionalization of efforts and value creation.
“By clarifying sector priorities, strengthening project selection criteria, and formalizing governance and investor pathways, the Strategy reduces uncertainty. This clarity enhances investor confidence and improves pipeline quality,” said the Arthur D. Little official.
Sally Menassa, partner at international management consulting firm Arthur D. Little. Supplied.
She added: “PPP and privatization efforts in Saudi Arabia are not about divestment or the state shifting execution to the private sector, it is really about becoming more productive as a nation. It enhances efficiency, raises service standards, mobilizes private and SME participation, and attracts capital.”
Menassa further said that the strategy could help the Kingdom achieve stronger fiscal sustainability and higher private sector GDP contribution, both of which are critical components to accelerate the Kingdom’s economic transformation under Vision 2030.
Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial, believes input from the private sector across all stages, from design to construction and operations, improves the efficiency of project delivery and long-term operations in Saudi Arabia.
“Tighter governance through centralized management at the National Center for Privatization and PPP and a more streamlined process, including template contracts, a clearer regulatory environment, and a transparent pipeline, is likely to improve delivery speed,” said Valecha.
He added: “This means faster delivery of big projects like Red Sea resorts or Neom, with private firms handling operations to drive innovation. Ultimately, the strategy supercharges diversification by making the private sector the main engine of growth, aligning perfectly with Saudi Arabia’s push for a vibrant, non-oil economy.”
The FII Institute added that the global flow of FDI is increasingly concentrated in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, driven by ambitious national transformation agendas and deep pools of sovereign wealth.
Tony Hallside, CEO of STP Partners, outlined several factors that are boosting the PPP landscape in the region, which include large infrastructure demand from Vision-level programs and urbanization.
“Government frameworks that standardise PPP procurement are making projects bankable. Strong regional capital pools and sovereign support will mitigate risk and attract global players. In the GCC, Saudi Arabia’s pipeline itself is one of the largest in the Middle East, indicating strong investor interest,” added Hallside.
Underscoring the role of growing PPP in Saudi Arabia, the FII report said: “A decade ago, the Kingdom’s solar capacity was negligible, despite its vast solar resource. Through early anchor investments, long-term power purchase agreements and support for national champions, the state seeded a competitive renewables market that now attracts global players on purely commercial terms.”
Valecha said that clearer PPP laws, standardised contracts and dedicated PPP units have reduced execution risks and made projects more bankable for global infrastructure funds and developers in the GCC region.
He added that rapid urbanization, a young and growing population, rising data center power demand and energy transition projects create predictable, long-duration cash flows in the region.
“This combination of policy support, fiscal necessity and structural growth is why the GCC is emerging as one of the fastest-growing PPP markets globally,” said Valecha.
Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. Supplied
Key Saudi PPP projects
Yanbu 4 Independent Water Project - supplying water to Medina and Makkah
Location Yanbu, Red Sea coast
Companies involved: Engie, Mowah, Nesma, Saudi Water Partnership Co.
Cost: $826.5 million
Expected delivery date: Operational as of 2024
Hadda Independent Sewage Treatment Plant
Location: Makkah Province
Companies involved: Metito Utilities, Etihad Water and Electricity, SkyBridge Limited Co., Saudi Water Partnership Co.
Expected delivery date: 2028
As Sufun Solar PV Independent Power Project
Location: Hail region
Companies involved: TotalEnergies, Aljomaih Energy & Water, Saudi Power Procurement Co.
Expected delivery date: Expected to connect to the grid in 2027
Construction of greenfield international airports
Location: Taif, Abha, Qassim, and Hail
Companies involved: Currently in the planning stage; investors are being sought
One-Stop Station Project
Location: Intercity road network across the Kingdom
Companies involved: Saudi Arabia’s Roads General Authority and National Center for Privatization & Public-Private Partnership announced a full list of qualified bidders in February.
King Salman Park
Location: Riyadh
Companies involved: King Salman Park Foundation, Ajdan Real Estate, Sedco Capital
Cost: $1 billion
Project: Madinah-3, Buraydah-2, and Tabuk-2 Independent Sewage Treatment Plants
Location: Madinah, Buraydah, and Tabuk
Companies involved: Acciona Agua, Tawzea, Tamasuk, Saudi Water Partnership Co.
Cost: $627 million combined
Riyadh Metro Line 2 Extension
Location: Riyadh
Companies involved: Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Arriyadh New Mobility Consortium, led by Webuild. Riyadh Metro Transit Consultants (JV between US Parsons and France’s Egis and Systra) as project management and construction supervision consultant.
Cost: Up to $900 million
Expected delivery date: 2032
The crucial role of emerging markets
According to the FII Institute report, the ability to deliver resilient infrastructure, expand digital connectivity and accelerate the energy transition will increasingly depend on the strength and legitimacy of PPPs, as fiscal space tightens and investment needs rise.
FII estimates a $5 trillion global infrastructure financing gap by 2040. It also points to significant regional shortfalls, including an estimated $3.7 trillion gap in the US and an annual $130 billion to $170 billion gap across Africa. In this context, PPPs are moving from a transactional procurement route to a central model for financing and delivery.
The report highlighted that emerging markets, including Saudi Arabia, are currently driving the next wave of PPP growth, with spending across low-and middle-income countries reaching $100.7 billion in 2024, up 16 percent year on year, according to figures from the World Bank.
Moreover, emerging markets now represent around 61 percent of global PPP activity by gross domestic product share.
According to Partnerships Bulletin’s findings up to July 31 2025, the Philippines leads the emerging-market pipeline with 230 projects, followed by Saudi Arabia with 98, Kyrgyzstan with 80, Bangladesh with 71, and Peru with 54 projects.
Greece has 42 projects in the pipeline, followed by Dubai at 28, Kenya at 25, Colombia at 24, and Pakistan at 14.
PPP: An engine of growth
When capital was cheap, PPPs were often treated as an optional extra – a way to shift specific projects off the public balance sheet, or to import private-sector efficiency into construction and operations, the FII report said.
However, now, nations consider PPPs as a central hub of their economic strategy, as they enable the state to stretch every dollar of public investment using private capital, while retaining strategic control over what gets built, where and to what standard.
“The real differentiator is complexity. When a project presents significant financial uncertainty or unpredictable demand, or if there’s a high level of climate exposure or technological risk, a PPP can give leaders the tools to manage those issues without slowing things down,” said Bob Willen, global managing partner and chairman of Kearney, said in the FII report.
Erik Ringvold, chief business development officer at Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Co., was quoted in the report as saying that carbon markets will benefit through PPPs, as deepened public-private partnerships could help achieve progress toward national emissions targets, while simultaneously creating economic opportunity and catalyzing new green industries.
“Saudi Arabia has made large strides toward an emissions compliance system, with an operational carbon standard in place, and an emissions trading system announced to be launched over the coming few years,” said Ringvold.
He added: “At VCM, we see a clear future carbon vision for Saudi Arabia. One ecosystem. One marketplace. One iconic collaboration – with the PPP model at the heart of its success.”
PPPs for investors and citizens
For investors, infrastructure-backed PPPs offer long-duration, often inflation-linked cash flows at a time when public markets are volatile and dominated by a narrow set of mega-cap technology stocks.
For citizens, well-designed PPPs can mean better services, more resilient infrastructure and faster progress toward climate and development goals, without unsustainable tax rises or austerity.
FII, however, cautioned that public consent is becoming decisive. Across seven countries, only 23 percent of citizens agree that PPPs “equally benefit everyone”, compared with 41 percent of business and government leaders.
Tony Hallside, CEO of STP Partners. Supplied
Hallside said that public consent hinges on transparency, accountability, and visible service outcomes.
He added that governments should publish clear procurement frameworks, communicate cost-benefit and performance expectations in plain language, and measure user satisfaction and service quality over time — “reinforcing that PPPs deliver tangible improvements in infrastructure and services.”
Menassa echoed similar views and said that communication with the public is not sufficient, but the performance and execution phase holds the key to PPP projects.
“Winning public opinion for PPPs is rather a marathon not a race. It starts with building awareness and trust by providing transparency and demonstrating value for money, ensuring affordability and service quality of public services is maintained through strong regulatory oversight, and ensuring competitive, transparent procurement processes,” added Menassa.
According to the Arthur D. Little official, the public must see tangible improvements in service reliability, efficiency and accountability, and acceptance will follow.
“The world can’t afford to delay the infrastructure and energy transition investments that will determine prosperity – and planetary stability – for decades to come. Nor can it fund them through public budgets alone. Financing the future is, by definition, a joint endeavour,” added the FII report.
