First Fully Loaded L.N.G. Tanker Since War Began Appears to Have Crossed the Strait

Key Points:

• A ship managed by Adnoc, Abu Dhabi’s state oil company, is believed to be the first fully loaded liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began in late February, according to maritime data firm Kpler.
• The flow of LNG through the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively halted for the past two months due to tightened restrictions by the US and Iran, with the US blockading ships linked to Iran and Iran attacking or threatening vessels carrying oil and LNG.
• Prior to the conflict, about 20% of the world’s LNG originated from the Middle East, mostly destined for Asia, with an average of three laden LNG tankers passing daily through the strait in 2025.
• The tanker, Mubaraz, carrying 137,000 cubic meters of LNG loaded at Das Island on March 2, likely switched off its transponder for nearly a month, making its exact route unclear, but was near Sri Lanka as of Tuesday and probably headed to an Asian country.
• The strait’s closure has led to a surge in energy costs in Asia and Europe, with LNG production from Qatar and the UAE falling by nearly 10 billion cubic meters in March, prompting some Asian countries to shift to oil and coal power and reduce consumption.