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By Sing Yee Ong and Weilun Soon
A liquefied natural gas tanker has entered the Strait of Hormuz, and if it successfully navigates the waterway would become the first such vessel to pass through the strait since the start of the war.
The Sohar LNG tanker, which appears not to be loaded with cargo, is moving eastward after changing its destination to the Qalhat LNG export terminal in Oman, according to ship-tracking data. The vessel, which is signaling that it’s an Omani ship, had been circling around the Persian Gulf over the past month, the data show.
LNG ships have avoided the strait since the conflict broke out on Feb. 28, disrupting about a fifth of the world’s supply of the fuel.
The ship’s manager, recorded as Oman Ship Management Co. on the Equasis database, didn’t immediately respond to calls or an email seeking comment. Its owner, Energy Spring LNG Carrier SA, shares the same contact details as its manager.
Iran has choked access to the key waterway since the US and Israeli strikes began, in many cases limiting passage to its own vessels or those it’s approved. Some of the ships have had to pay fees in yuan or cryptocurrencies before being escorted through the strait.
The Sohar appears to be traversing the southern side of the strait, which is unusual because ships have typically taken a northerly route at Tehran’s behest.
Read More: How Iran’s Chokehold on Hormuz Is Upending Oil Supply: Explainer
Although the vessel appears to be empty, the market is closely watching for LNG flows to resume and ease pressure on global prices. In a rare prime-time address, US President Donald Trump said the war in Iran is “very close” to completion, while at the same time laying out plans for fresh attacks on the country in the next two to three weeks. Trump also didn’t say how the US might convince Iran to let traffic resume through the strait.
A drop in supply from the Persian Gulf, compounded by outages at Australian facilities due to a cyclone last month, has sent consumers worldwide seeking alternative sources of energy.
— With assistance from Stephen Stapczynski
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