Loaded Qatar LNG Tankers Retreat After Nearing Strait Of Hormuz

Two loaded liquefied natural gas LNG tankers operated for QatarEnergy have changed course and turned back toward the Persian Gulf after approaching the eastern entrance of the Strait of Hormuz, according to real-time ship-tracking data.

The Q-Flex class vessels, Al Daayen and Rasheeda, each carrying approximately 210,000 cubic meters of LNG loaded at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal in late February, began moving eastward earlier on Monday in what was widely viewed as a potential first attempt to export Qatari LNG to buyers outside the region since the escalation of the Iran conflict in late February.

The tankers initially hugged the Omani coastline near the Musandam Peninsula in a cautious bid to maximize distance from Iranian waters. However, tracking data from providers including Bloomberg and Kpler later showed the vessels slowing, pulling back slightly, and ultimately reversing direction after nearing the strait’s opening.

It remains unclear whether the retreat signals a full abandonment of the journey or a temporary pause amid ongoing security assessments.

The Al Daayen had been signaling China, Qatar’s largest LNG buyer, as a possible destination, though such indications can change.

This latest development underscores the persistent risks facing commercial shipping in one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 percent of global LNG and oil trade normally flows, has seen severely restricted traffic since late February following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian threats and attacks on vessels.

No laden LNG carrier from the Persian Gulf has successfully transited the strait to external markets since the conflict intensified.

A notable exception was the near-empty or ballast Sohar LNG tanker, which completed a cautious transit hugging the Omani coast around April 2–3 and arrived safely near Muscat.

That passage was hailed as the first LNG carrier movement through the waterway since the war began.

Qatar, the world’s largest LNG exporter, halted production at parts of Ras Laffan after reported Iranian drone strikes damaged facilities, declaring force majeure on several long-term contracts. Exports have been sharply curtailed, leaving numerous loaded and empty tankers idling in the Gulf or repositioned elsewhere.

The hesitation by the Al Daayen and Rasheeda highlights ongoing challenges including elevated war-risk insurance premiums, limited safe-passage assurances, and the overall security environment.

Successful transits would help ease global LNG supply tightness, particularly for buyers in Asia and Europe, where prices have spiked amid the disruptions.

Analysts continue to monitor the situation closely, as even incremental progress or setbacks in Hormuz traffic can influence international energy markets.

The developments come as limited selective transits of other vessel types, including some LPG carriers and vessels with certain affiliations, have occurred in recent days, though commercial LNG movements remain highly cautious.