Hormuz LNG Shipments Surge to Highest Since Start of US-Iran War

LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have seen a significant increase in September, reaching their highest level since the US-Iran war began. A total of 19 liquefied natural gas cargoes were shipped through the key waterway, primarily from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

This marks a notable improvement from June's figure of 15 LNG cargoes, which was when a pact between the US and Iran started to take effect. Eric Yep, a senior principal analyst at S&P Global Energy, notes that LNG transits through the Strait accelerated in the second half of September and could potentially recover to 25% of pre-war levels if maintained into October.

Several vessels, including those linked to QatarEnergy, have been spotted making 'dark transits' by switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders. This has raised concerns among analysts about sustaining exports amid potential military escalations from Iran.