Trade commodities in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest crude oil exporter and a dominant force in global energy markets through Saudi Aramco and its leadership in OPEC+. The country is also a significant producer of petrochemicals, fertilizers, and aluminum. Vision 2030 is driving diversification into mining, with major deposits of gold, phosphate, and bauxite.
What Saudi Arabia sells and buys.
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Buy from Saudi Arabia
Main exports
- Crude Oil
- Refined Petroleum
- Petrochemicals
- Fertilizers
- Plastics
- Aluminum
Saudi Arabia's commodity trade profile
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest crude oil exporter, with Aramco's official selling prices (OSPs) for Asian, European, and US markets setting marginal pricing for tens of millions of barrels/month. Top destinations: China, Japan, South Korea, India. Saudi Arabia also exports significant refined products (Yanbu, Ras Tanura, Jubail, Sadara complexes), petrochemicals (SABIC, Sipchem), urea (SAFCO/Maaden), and aluminum (Ma'aden Aluminum at Ras Al Khair). Imports: machinery, food, and increasingly battery materials and EV components.
How commodity trade works in Saudi Arabia
Aramco controls upstream and exports; SABIC, Petro Rabigh, and the major standalone refineries run downstream. The Tadawul (Saudi Stock Exchange) hosts dual-listed Aramco. The Kingdom's Vision 2030 includes major mining, lithium-from-brine, and green-hydrogen export projects (NEOM Helios) that will reshape the Kingdom's commodity export mix into the 2030s. OPEC+ coordination still dictates Saudi crude production levels.
Trading with Saudi Arabia counterparties
Payment customs: at-sight LC issued by major Saudi or international banks. Aramco term contracts with established refiners run on monthly nominations against the OSP. Sanctions screening matters for any counterparty with Iranian links given regional tensions. Dispute resolution: Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) Riyadh.
Trading in Saudi Arabia.
- Major ports
- Jeddah Islamic Port
- King Abdulaziz Port (Dammam)
- Jubail Commercial Port
- Yanbu Commercial Port
- Free trade zones
- King Abdullah Economic City
- Jubail Industrial City
- Yanbu Industrial City
- Ras Al-Khair Industrial City
- Key regulations
- Saudi Customs and the Ministry of Commerce regulate commodity trade. The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) oversees foreign investment in mining and petrochemicals, and the country is implementing mining code reforms to attract investment.
Find the exporters and importers in Saudi Arabia.
The CTX Directory maps the companies headquartered in Saudi Arabia and the ones that buy from it, by commodity and role, with the decision-makers to unlock.
Find your counterparties in Saudi Arabia.
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