Barcelona-Thailand Gas Route Emerges Amid Middle East Tensions

The global map of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been turned upside down due to conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, forcing countries to look for alternative routes. The war in Iran has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a quarter to a fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas circulated.

The port of Barcelona has seen 7,439 tons of LNG loaded from its regasification plant destined for Thailand, specifically Bangkok. This unusual maritime route involves high time and costs due to the need for expensive routes when countries run out of energy products.

Javier Blas, an energy and commodities analyst at Bloomberg, notes that necessity prevails, leading to increased costs for transporting energy products. Maritime freight has skyrocketed, with costs reaching up to $1.2 million per day in some cases.