Iran to start exporting oil from new port that bypasses Strait of Hormuz

About 40 percent of the world's oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Updated 21 May 2021
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Iran to start exporting oil from new port that bypasses Strait of Hormuz

  • Iran said it will begin shipping oil from Jask terminal next month
  • Iran currently under sanctions that stop it from selling oil to most countries

RIYADH: Iran said it will soon export oil from a new port that allows it to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, as nuclear talks between Tehran and other world powers show signs of progress, Bloomberg reported.

State-controlled National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) will start shipping crude from the Jask terminal on the Gulf of Oman coast next month, according to a statement.

NIOC is already pumping oil into a 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) pipeline connecting Jask with the southwestern energy hub of Goreh, Managing Director Masoud Karbasian said.

The pipeline will be officially opened by President Hassan Rouhani in the near future, Karbasian said, without giving a timeframe or stating how much oil will initially be exported.

Iran is under strict US sanctions that effectively bar it from selling oil. Most of its energy exports currently have to be sent through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel and a shipping flashpoint in recent years.

World powers are trying to broker an agreement between Iran and the US to revive a 2015 nuclear accord, which restricted Tehran’s atomic activities in return for sanctions relief.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator in Vienna, where talks are being held, said on Wednesday there had been “good progress.”


New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

Updated 28 January 2026
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New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.

The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.

Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.

The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.

Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.

Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.

The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.

In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.