Second Qatari LNG Carrier Crosses Hormuz Under A Special Iran-Pakistan Arrangement
A second Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker has successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz and is heading to Pakistan, days after the first such shipment passed through the waterway under a special arrangement involving Iran and Pakistan.
According to LSEG shipping data, the LNG carrier Mihzem, which has a cargo capacity of 174,000 cubic metres, departed Ras Laffan on Monday and crossed the strait on Tuesday.
The vessel is heading to Port Qasim in Pakistan and is expected to arrive later in the day.
This is the second successful passage through the Strait of Hormuz by a Qatari LNG tanker since the start of the Iran war.
Earlier, the LNG tanker Al Kharaitiyat started crossing Hormuz on Saturday using an Iranian-approved northern route and completed the passage on Sunday.
The vessel is currently anchored near Port Qasim, according to LSEG data.
The LNG cargo is being supplied by Qatar to Pakistan under a government-to-government agreement, according to two people familiar with the matter on May 9.
The sources said Iran approved the shipment to help build confidence with Qatar and Pakistan.
Two more tankers carrying Qatari LNG are expected to head to Pakistan in the coming days, the sources added.
Pakistan has been holding talks with Iran to allow a limited number of LNG tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as the country urgently needs gas supplies, a source briefed on the arrangement told Reuters on May 9.
The source said Iran agreed to assist with the safe passage of the vessels carrying LNG supplied under Pakistan’s agreement with Qatar, its main LNG supplier.
Both sides are coordinating the movement of the ships through the strait.
The shipments show that LNG cargoes are continuing to move through Hormuz on a case-by-case basis despite the conflict risks in the region.
Earlier this month, the UAE’s ADNOC managed to send two LNG tankers through the strait after the vessels switched off their tracking signals, according to shipping data.
Qatar is the world’s second-largest exporter of LNG and most of its cargoes are shipped to buyers in Asia.
Iranian attacks have reportedly knocked out 17% of Qatar’s LNG export capacity, with repairs expected to keep 12.8 million metric tons per year of capacity offline for three to five years.
Port Muhammad Bin Qasim
Port Qasim is Pakistan’s second-busiest seaport and handles around 35% of the country’s cargo traffic, including LNG imports, industrial raw materials, and container shipments.
Located on the Arabian Sea coast near Karachi, the deep-water port plays a major role in Pakistan’s external trade along with Karachi Port.
The port area covers around 12,000 acres and includes major industrial facilities such as Pakistan Steel Mills, Bin Qasim Power Plant, and a large part of the country’s automotive industry.
It also provides direct access to the Korangi Industrial Area and Landhi Export Processing Zone, making it one of Pakistan’s key industrial and maritime hubs.
References: Reuters, economictimes
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