Two Qatar LNG tankers head toward Hormuz in possible first export beyond Gulf since war began

Two tankers carrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar appear to be heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could mark the first export to buyers outside the region since the war began.

Ship-tracking data show the Al Daayen and Rasheeda, which loaded in late February at Qatar’s export plant, moving east toward the mouth of the strait near Oman after idling in the Gulf as hostilities escalated and Hormuz remained largely closed to shipping. The Al Daayen is currently signaling China, Qatar’s largest LNG buyer, according to the data.

However, indicated destinations are not final and can change at any time. So far, no loaded LNG tanker has passed through Hormuz since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran in late February. Over the weekend, a tanker that appeared to be unladen transited the strait.

The effective closure of the key waterway along Iran and the Arabian Peninsula has choked off energy supplies to global markets, disrupting about a fifth of the world’s LNG supply. Qatar has still managed to deliver two LNG shipments to Kuwait in recent weeks, ship-tracking data compiled by Kpler show.

Those cargoes were likely drawn from storage and did not require a Hormuz transit. A successful passage through Hormuz could provide a lift for Qatar, which supplied nearly a fifth of all LNG last year, even as the Ras Laffan export plant has been shut for over a month due to Iranian attacks.

That could enable deliveries from cargoes already loaded and waiting in the Persian Gulf, or allow Qatar to offload fuel from storage. Tracking ship movements in the area remains challenging because signals can be distorted by electronic interference, and some pilots intentionally switch off transponders when navigating risky zones.

Seapeak manages the Al Daayen, and Nakilat owns the Rasheeda, according to the ship database Equasis. Neither company immediately responded to requests for comment. QatarEnergy, which operates Ras Laffan, also did not immediately respond. Iran has choked off transit through Hormuz since the US and Israeli strikes began, while allowing passage for its own vessels or those it has approved.

No known Qatar-linked energy vessels have crossed the strait during this period. In recent days, Tehran appears to have permitted the passage of ships associated with countries seen as close to the US, including from France and Japan.