Second LNG Tanker Attacked in Strait of Hormuz Amid Qatar's Force Majeure

A second LNG tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz last Friday, just days after another incident at Egypt's Damietta port. The GasLog Shanghai, a Monaco-based ship carrying Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG), was struck by an unidentified projectile off the coast of Oman.

QatarEnergy has been operating under force majeure on some contracts since March, when Iranian attacks on the Ras Laffan industrial complex disrupted production and shipping. This latest incident may extend the delivery pause further, affecting 24 cargoes scheduled for delivery to Italian utility Edison between April and September.

The GasLog Shanghai was loaded with LNG in Qatar around last Monday and stopped transmitting its position near the strait's western entrance on Friday. Fortunately, all crew were safe and accounted for, but the incident raises concerns about the safety of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Jean-Christian Heintz, managing director of Switzerland-based LNG consultancy Wideangle LNG, this is a significant setback for QatarEnergy's efforts to mitigate the effects of the crisis. 'This is a blow to Qatar's perseverance in mitigating the effects of the crisis,' he said.