Qatar has restarted liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, with the Q-Flex LNG carrier Al Kharaitiyat marking the first successful transit in 70 days since the start of the Iran war in February. The vessel, which loaded cargo at Ras Laffan, navigated a northern route close to Iran's coastline, utilizing newly established Iranian-controlled shipping corridors, and is now in the Gulf of Oman heading towards Pakistan. This move signals a tentative resumption of energy exports through the critical maritime chokepoint, which typically handles about one-fifth of global LNG trade.
The resumption follows weeks of severe disruption to Gulf LNG flows, described by shipping executives as an effective blockade around the Strait. Prior to the conflict, Qatar typically dispatched around three LNG cargoes daily through the waterway. The halt in shipments led to a sharp increase in Asian spot LNG prices due to fears of prolonged supply disruptions, and QatarEnergy had previously reduced tanker movements after insurers raised war-risk premiums and some operators suspended Gulf transits.
While the successful transit is a breakthrough for Doha, current export volumes remain significantly below pre-war levels. The passage was closely monitored by global energy traders, especially after the US Operation Project Freedom effort to escort ships through the strait reportedly failed. Iran has maintained pressure on regional maritime traffic, with its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy warning of responses to attacks on Iranian vessels and Iranian authorities drafting a bill to formalize their management of the strait, potentially requiring permits and fees for foreign operators and forbidding passage to vessels of "hostile states." The US is also awaiting Tehran's response to a peace proposal to formally end the war.
