LPG Crisis Averted: Highest Number of Gas Tankers Pass Through Strait of Hormuz Since Conflict Began

An LPG supply crisis had emerged following the onset of hostilities between Iran and the US. However, the movement of LNG through the Strait of Hormuz has now rebounded, with October seeing the highest number of gas tankers passing through this route.

The conflict between Iran and the US, which began in February, had disrupted LPG supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The situation now appears to be improving; despite the challenges affecting maritime routes, the number of vessels transporting natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz increased in October. This marks the highest volume of LNG tanker traffic through this passage since the conflict began.

According to data from companies that track maritime traffic, a total of 31 LNG tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz in October, compared to 23 vessels in September.

Increase in Gas Supplies in October

Data from S&P Global Energy indicates that LNG movement through the Strait of Hormuz in October reached its highest level since February—the period just before the conflict involving Iran began, when large quantities of gas were being exported via this route. Expert Eric Yep notes that gas shipments from the UAE are returning to pre-conflict levels, while volumes from Qatar passing through the Strait of Hormuz have exceeded pre-conflict figures by more than 30 percent.

This suggests that gas supplies, which had been disrupted by the conflict, are gradually recovering. Of the 31 vessels that passed through in October, 23 were loaded at Qatar’s Ras Laffan port, while 8 departed from Das Island in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Increase in LNG Exports from Qatar

According to vessel-tracking data from Kpler, a total of 42 LNG shipments were loaded onto vessels in October, up from 27 in September. In October, 35 LNG shipments departed from Qatar’s Ras Laffan port, with a total volume exceeding 2.7 million tonnes. This marks Qatar’s highest monthly export volume since the onset of the war; however, it remains below the approximately 6.2 million tonnes of LNG exported by Qatar in February.

How is the gas reaching India and other countries?

LNG originating from Qatar and the UAE reaches various countries worldwide, including India, Pakistan, and South Korea. According to the report, two vessels that departed from Qatar’s Ras Laffan port transferred their LNG cargo to other ships near the coast of Sohar, Oman. Additionally, 7 LNG shipments departed from Das Island in the UAE in October—the same number as those dispatched in September.