September LNG transits through Hormuz reach peak since the US-Iran conflict began
Nineteen LNG cargoes, mainly from Qatar and the UAE, passed the Strait of Hormuz in September, the highest monthly total since the war started.
In September, the Strait of Hormuz saw 19 liquefied natural gas vessels transit, the strongest monthly flow since the US-Iran war began, according to S&P Global Energy. The cargoes comprised 13 ships from Qatar and six from the United Arab Emirates, up from 15 in June when a US-Iran agreement started to influence shipping. Kpler’s tracking data reported a similar rise, counting 21 LNG vessels for the month.
Recent sightings include QatarEnergy-linked tankers Al Kharaitiyat, Al Gharrafa and the Milaha Qatar, the latter now unloading at Hazira, India. Some ships practice “dark transits” by disabling AIS to avoid detection, raising concerns about the sustainability of these routes through winter and the potential for heightened Iranian military actions. Analysts stress that continued US naval escorts will be costly but essential for maintaining flow.
Why it matters
LNG shipments through Hormuz affect global energy markets and signal how regional conflicts impact trade routes.
How this story developed
- Sep 4 China Uses Strategic Reserves to Offset Iran Conflict While U.S. SPR Hits 44-Year Low
- Sep 14 U.S. officials report that roughly two-thirds of pre-conflict oil volumes are now moving through Hormuz, while Iran disputes control of the waterway. Tanker-tracker data, however, shows daily transits remain far below historic levels. At the same time, attacks on a Saudi pipeline and a vessel in the strait have lifted global oil prices.
- Sep 20 Oil benchmarks rose on Monday following a missile and drone attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.
- Sep 21 Fire on the tanker was extinguished after the projectile strike.
- Sep 22 Meta's new Muse AI assistant sparked an 11% jump in its stock, lifting other AI-related shares, while oil prices rose and bond yields nudged higher.
- Sep 23 A cargo ship was struck by an unknown projectile, igniting a fire and forcing crew evacuation.
- Sep 24 Iran’s president publicly rejected any surrender to the United States at the UN.
- Sep 27 The Saudi pipeline across the Arabian Peninsula was closed after an attack in Iraq, adding to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Sep 29 Trump turned down Iran’s peace proposal at the United Nations.
- Sep 29 The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on ten individuals and firms accused of obtaining weapons components for Iran's defence ministry.
- Oct 2 The United States has now sanctioned Iran's automotive and railway sectors.
- Oct 2 Saudi Arabia resumed loading oil tankers from its Yanbu port.
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