LONDON: A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker carrying Qatari fuel was transiting through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday en route to Pakistan, while a supertanker loaded with Iraqi crude oil for China has successfully exited the Gulf after remaining stranded for nearly three months, according to shipping tracking data.
The developments indicate a cautious resumption of energy shipments through one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime corridors, despite the continuing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Shipping data from LSEG and Kpler showed that the LNG carrier Fuwairit was crossing the Strait of Hormuz and is expected to deliver its cargo to Pakistan on Tuesday. The Bahamas-flagged vessel had loaded LNG at Qatar’s Ras Laffan export terminal around March 28.
According to Reuters, the vessel is owned by Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), although the company was not immediately available for comment regarding the voyage.
The Strait of Hormuz remains under intense scrutiny after the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began on February 28, sharply disrupted commercial shipping activity in the region. The narrow waterway normally handles nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil and LNG trade, making it one of the most critical global energy transit routes.
Maritime traffic through the strait has fallen significantly since the outbreak of hostilities, with many shipping operators avoiding the area due to heightened security concerns and risks of escalation. However, a small number of large oil tankers have recently resumed departures from the Gulf using a designated transit corridor reportedly approved by Iran for commercial navigation.
Among them was the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Eagle Verona, which exited the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday carrying nearly two million barrels of Iraqi Basrah crude destined for China. Shipping records showed that the Singapore-flagged tanker had loaded the cargo around February 26 and is expected to arrive at Ningbo port in eastern China on June 12.
The vessel has been chartered by Unipec, the trading arm of China’s state-owned energy giant Sinopec. Industry data further indicated that three additional VLCCs departed the Gulf last week carrying an estimated combined cargo of around six million barrels of crude oil bound for China and South Korea.
The gradual movement of oil and LNG shipments is being closely monitored by global energy markets, which remain highly sensitive to any disruption in Gulf supply routes amid the broader regional tensions.
