--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260902-maaden-dap-duqm-oman-hormuz-bypass-2026/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # Maaden ships first DAP cargo through Oman’s Duqm port, cutting freight costs to India by nearly half Publication Date: 2026-09-02T17:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-09-02T05:01:03-04:00 Author: Kim Clarksen (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/kimclarksen/) Categories: [Markets](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/), [Asia & Emerging Markets](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/asia-emerging-markets/), [Freight & Logistics](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/logistics/), [Phosphate](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/phosphate/), [Trade & Policy](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/) ![Salalah, Oman - November 19, 2019: Bulk Carrier vessels moored in Port of Salalah in Oman, Arabian Sea. Loading and unloading, export-import.](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/salalah-oman-november-19-2019-bulk-carrier-vessels-moored-in-port-of-salalah-in-oman-arabian-sea-loading-and-unloading-export-import-stockpack-istock-scaled.jpg) The Saudi producer is trucking phosphate overland from Ras Al-Khair to load 60,000 tonnes at Duqm after Houthi threats raised Red Sea risk. Saudi phosphate producer Maaden will load a 60,000-tonne DAP cargo at Duqm, Oman, in late August or early September for shipment to India, marking the company's first use of the Arabian Sea port to bypass the closed Strait of Hormuz. A separate 55,000-tonne DAP cargo sold to East African buyers earlier in August will also ship from Duqm in September, according to Argus Media. The switch to Duqm cuts freight costs sharply. Argus reports that shipping a 60,000-tonne bulk [DAP](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260824-india-nfl-dap-tender-60000-tonnes-august-2026/) cargo from Duqm to India runs in the low $20s per tonne, compared with roughly $40 per tonne from Saudi Red Sea ports. Maaden had been trucking product overland from its Ras Al-Khair production complex on the Gulf coast to Yanbu on the Red Sea after the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed in late February. Houthi militant threats to Saudi-linked shipping near Bab El-Mandeb in late July raised risk premiums further, making Yanbu loadings commercially less attractive for eastbound trade. Maaden trimmed its 2026 phosphate production guidance to the equivalent of 6 million to 6.5 million tonnes of DAP in its latest quarterly results, citing a lack of sulfur and elevated logistics costs. The company's decision to route through Duqm signals a longer-term logistics shift — congestion at Omani ports is reportedly high, pushing up demurrage rates, and war risk premiums still apply to shipments across the region. The [Sabic-Maaden MoU](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260822-sabic-maaden-fertilizer-mou-2026/) signed in August to explore collaboration in the fertilizer value chain adds another strategic dimension as both producers adapt to the Hormuz disruption. Source: [World Fertilizer](https://www.worldfertilizer.com/phosphates/21082026/maaden-exports-dap-via-oman/) Tags: [DAP](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/dap/), [fertilizer prices](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/fertilizer-prices/), [India](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/india/), [Maaden](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/maaden/), [Oman](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/oman/), [phosphate](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/phosphate/), [Saudi Arabia](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/saudi-arabia/), [shipping](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/shipping/), [Strait of Hormuz](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/strait-of-hormuz/), [sulfur](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/sulfur/), [supply chain](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/supply-chain/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. Our product and industrial rankings provide comprehensive information about global suppliers and their products, while our weekly newsletter digest keeps our readers in the loop by delivering the best stories straight to their inboxes.