Qatar is beginning to bring some of its liquefied natural gas tankers back to the Middle East, as the major supplier prepares to ramp-up exports once the Strait of Hormuz reopens following a US-Iran deal, Bloomberg reported.
At least four empty LNG vessels owned by Qatar recently began heading back toward the region after being idle or heading in a different direction, according to ship-tracking data. Another ship chartered by Qatar is also on its way to the region, the data shows. The tankers are all signaling Ras Laffan - the world’s largest LNG export plant in Qatar - as their next destination.
Four other Qatar-linked tankers are idling in the Gulf of Oman, the data shows, and could try to pass through Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. So far, Qatar has not brought an empty vessel into the gulf since the war began in February.
While the Qatari ships’ return to the region represents only a small share of the country’s roughly 70-tanker fleet, the move is another sign the producer is preparing to ramp up output should Hormuz reopen. Qatar is aiming to restore most of its export capacity within two months, and getting vessels to pick up the fuel will be a key part of the restart push.
