In a massive strategic shift for its oil exports, Iran is to funnel much of its crude via a new port at Kooh Mobarak in the Gulf of Oman rather than the Persian Gulf.

The news was announced yesterday by Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani, who detailed 39 new major infrastructure projects the Middle Eastern nation will work on delivering this year.

The port is connected to the Goureh-Jask crude oil pipeline, capable of delivering 1m barrels of crude a day. Currently more than 90% of Iranian oil is exported via the Persian Gulf, principally out of Kharg Island.

The new export facility at Kooh Mobarak is located around 200 km west of Chabahar Port, a new container port also on the Gulf of Oman, near the border with Pakistan.

Source » splash247