Qatar Moves Six LNG Tankers Toward Gulf as Export Restart Looms
Half a dozen empty liquefied natural gas carriers are en route to Qatar in what may be a sign that QatarEnergy is preparing to restart loadings, Bloomberg has reported, citing ship-tracking data from Kpler. The data showed six tankers with links to Iran currently located in the Gulf of Oman or approaching it, with another tanker recently crossing the Strait of Hormuz and heading for the Qatari…
Six empty liquefied natural gas tankers are sailing towards Qatar, potentially indicating the country's intention to resume exports, according to Bloomberg. The report, citing Kpler's ship-tracking data, suggests that these tankers, linked to Iran, are either in the Gulf of Oman or heading towards the Qatari coast. One of these tankers recently traversed the Strait of Hormuz, three weeks after being attacked in the same waterway.
This does not signify the resumption of LNG shipments from Qatar, the world's third-largest exporter. The nation has been keen to restart exports following Iranian strikes on its Ras Laffan complex at the start of the conflict with the United States and Israel. QatarEnergy, the state firm responsible for LNG operations, had previously declared force majeure and announced that it could restore 50% of its production capacity within a month if safe navigation through the Hormuz Strait is restored.
Two months later, the firm expects to recover 80% of its capacity. However, since June, Hormuz traffic has not been restored and attacks on tankers have resumed as Iran and the United States engage in a tit-for-tat exchange of strikes. Despite this, Qatar has continued loading LNG carriers, but none have been sent out of the Hormuz Strait.
The vessels are either remaining in the waterway or being transported to Kuwait, based on earlier reports using ship-tracking data.
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