Saudi Arabian Oil Co., also known as Aramco, is directing its shipping arm to send crude from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, indicating that the world's largest crude exporter is poised to plug the gap in European supplies left by the disruption to Libyan oil production, shipbrokers based in Europe said Thursday.

Vela International Marine Ltd., Armaco's shipping subsidiary, already has three Suezmax vessels capable of carrying 1 million barrels of oil each under contract, with at least one booked to sail to the Mediterranean , a shipbroker based in London said.

Shipping sources suggest that in the short term Vela could charter more vessels of this size for further shipments of crude to the Mediterranean .

Although time charter rates, involving agreements lasting between 60 and 90 days, for voyages from the Middle East to the Mediterranean have been steady at around $23,000 a day recently, freight rates could be pushed higher if Aramco shows more interest in shipping crude that way.

The vessels Genmar Kara and Aisha are two Suezmaxes under time charter to Vela for periods between 60 and 90 days, the shipbroker said.

Loadings at Libya 's major oil export terminals have been intermittent since the country was rocked by political protests that began last month. Adverse weather has also delayed or cancelled shipping operations.

Some load ports are open although no loading operations are taking place.

According to the International Energy Agency Libya produces around 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, 1.3 million barrels of which are exported.

However, since the unrest in the country between 850,000 and 1 million barrels a day of Libyan crude is thought to be shut-in, the IEA said Wednesday.

Last week, Saudi Aramco's chief executive officer Khaled Al Falih said Saudi Arabia has stepped in to meet all incremental needs by customers for crude oil amid an exports shortfall caused by political unrest in Libya .

Most of Libyan oil exports are sent to European refineries.

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