Credit: Abu Dhabi Media Office.
Morning. Steve Moore here. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has told some Asian refiners it may deliver part of its Upper Zakum crude supply through a new pipeline to Fujairah in the first months of 2027, Bloomberg reports. The report cites people familiar with the matter; ADNOC declined to comment.
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A new route for offshore crude
Fujairah sits outside the Strait of Hormuz, so tankers collecting the oil there would avoid the crossing. ADNOC already sends onshore Murban crude to Fujairah by pipeline; the proposed deliveries would give some offshore Upper Zakum supply a route to buyers without passing through the strait.
Abu Dhabi’s official announcement in May said the new West-East Pipeline would double ADNOC’s export capacity through Fujairah and was expected to become operational in 2027. Bloomberg’s new detail is that customer deliveries could start in the opening months of the year. The report gives no initial volume or firm commissioning date.
What Ottawa and Abu Dhabi signed
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on Tuesday during Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed’s visit to Prime Minister Mark Carney. Canada says the agreement will reduce or eliminate tariffs on more than 99% of its current exports to the UAE once fully implemented, with entry into force expected in 2027.
The governments also signed a defence cooperation agreement covering military training, joint exercises, cybersecurity and information sharing, and establishing a Joint Military Committee. Separate agreements cover clean power and energy infrastructure, and diplomatic training.
Emirati companies are negotiating investments worth up to US$15 billion under the UAE’s US$50 billion framework announced in November 2025, Abu Dhabi says. Those negotiations have yet to become completed deals.
Extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties remain in the planning stage. Canadian human-rights lawyer Paul Champ warned The Globe and Mail that safeguards would be needed to prevent extradition arrangements being used against dissidents. Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said, “Human rights never takes a back seat with Canada”.
Israel’s count moves beyond the exit polls
Wednesday’s briefing carried the first exit polls, which put Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc narrowly ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s. By Wednesday afternoon, the count had flipped: with 85.6% of votes counted, the Times of Israel reported 53 projected seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 48 for Eisenkot’s, and 19 for the Arab-led parties.
Neither main bloc had the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Ballots from soldiers and other voters using the separate “double-envelope” system remained to be counted, so these seat allocations were still provisional. The change from the exit polls does not settle who can form a government.
Qatar’s proposal meets an Iranian objection
Qatari mediators presented Iran with a draft on Sunday outlining seven days of reciprocal steps with the United States, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters. The official said it could begin early next week if agreed, with a response expected by the end of this week.
A senior Iranian official gave Reuters a less encouraging account: Doha had offered “unacceptable ideas and not an offer”. Tehran still wanted the US to lift the blockade of its ports and oil sanctions before talks. Neither official was named, and the draft has not been published.
In a separate meeting on Monday, Iranian officials told Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish delegates that they lacked leverage over the Houthis, according to regional sources quoted by The National. That is Iran’s reported account of its influence, not an independently established limit on it.
Ras Tanura claim keeps attention on Saudi oil
The Houthis said on Tuesday that they had struck the Ras Tanura refinery with a ballistic missile and caused a fire, Reuters reported. Saudi Arabia and Aramco had not confirmed the claimed strike or damage, Reuters said. Brent settled on Tuesday at $113.88 a barrel, down $1.93, according to Dow Jones.
Britain’s warning includes transit passengers
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its UAE advice on Tuesday, warning that the risk of sudden regional escalation was high. It tells British nationals in, or planning to travel through, the Middle East to prepare for “possible flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions”.
The advice is to keep departure plans under review, ensure travel documents are current and follow local authorities’ instructions. Its shelter guidance is conditional: if told to take shelter, stay inside or find a safe building.
Etihad’s notice separately confirms cancellations of its Abu Dhabi services to Riyadh and Dammam, and specified Jeddah flights, through 5 November. The notice does not promise a restart on 6 November.
Etisalat’s disposal gain lifts profit
The telecoms group reported nine-month net profit of Dh17.2 billion, up 46%, including a Dh8 billion gain from selling its Vodafone stake. Excluding that gain, the company said adjusted net profit was Dh9.2 billion. The 46% growth figure belongs to the reported profit, not the adjusted measure.
Sharjah closes the city’s beaches
Sharjah announced temporary closures of the city’s beaches on Wednesday as a precaution against pollution from the tanker spill, ARN News reports. The Sharjah Government Media Bureau said specialist teams were taking protective measures and asked residents to follow official instructions; it did not provide a reopening date.
The weekend’s outdoor programme
The tenth Dubai Fitness Challenge starts on Saturday 31 October and runs until 29 November. Dubai Ride takes place on Sheikh Zayed Road on Sunday 1 November, with registration open.
Time Out Dubai reports that Wild Wadi will reopen on Sunday and Marsa Boulevard at Dubai Creek will begin its third season on Friday 30 October. Check the venues’ booking pages before making plans.
Honours for the flydubai crew
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew involved in September’s in-flight incident, the Emirates News Agency reported on Tuesday. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed presented the honours, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid attending.
The Dubai–Tel Aviv flight diverted safely to Tabuk after what flydubai described as a cockpit altercation; crew members intervened to secure the aircraft. The honours announcement does not give findings from the prosecution inquiry opened after the incident.
What I am watching
I will be watching for ADNOC to confirm the pipeline’s start date and how much crude it can carry at first. I will also watch the remaining Israeli ballots and Iran’s response to Qatar’s proposal.
Please share this briefing with someone shipping through the Gulf or trading with Canada. Thank you for reading, and send stories, tips or perspectives to steve@emirateswire.co.uk.
If you buy, sell or ship goods through the Gulf, what has changed in your routes or contracts? I would welcome examples of what businesses can reroute, and what they cannot.
Steve
Emirates Wire uses AI tools to assist with research, early drafting, fact-checking and copy-editing. Steve Moore reviews, edits and personally approves every sentence before publication.