Qatar LNG Tanker Breaks Hormuz Blockade: What It Means for Gas Prices

The Al Marrouna becomes the first Qatari LNG vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since July’s attacks sent global.

Aryan Kumar 12 Sep 2026 ·12:16

4 min read STRAIT OF HORMUZ

THE ESSENTIALS

The Al Marrouna is the first Qatari LNG tanker to sail through the Strait of Hormuz since late July, when attacks halted exports.
Qatar accounted for one-fifth of global LNG exports before the conflict, making its supply critical for Asian and European markets.
LNG ship-to-ship transfers in the region now cost over $1 million each and add up to 35 hours to voyages, pushing prices higher.
Asian spot LNG prices have more than doubled since the blockade, reaching $23.20 per mmBtu—a five-month high.

A Qatari LNG tanker has broken Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first transit of a loaded Qatari vessel since July’s attacks sent global gas prices spiralling. The Al Marrouna, carrying a cargo from Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal, was tracked in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday morning, signalling a potential shift in the energy crisis gripping Asia and Europe. The vessel, which loaded LNG in Qatar early last month, was en route to Port Qasim in Pakistan, with an expected arrival on Thursday, according to ship-tracking…

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