At least four oil and gas tankers have turned back from attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-tracking data from analytics firms Kpler and LSEG, as renewed attacks on vessels in the critical waterway have heightened safety and security concerns for shipping operations.
Context: Renewed Attacks and Escalated Threat Level
The diversions come after a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker and a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker were damaged near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, following reports that Iran fired missiles at ships in the waterway, Reuters reported. Maritime authorities subsequently raised the threat risk for transiting vessels to "severe", according to the same report.
Vessels Affected: LNG and Crude Oil Tankers
According to data from Kpler and LSEG, three LNG tankers controlled by QatarEnergy — Al Ghariya, Duhail, and Al Ruwais — had all been moving westward toward the Strait of Hormuz before changing course to turn away late on Tuesday. All three tankers were empty and heading toward Qatar's Ras Laffan export facility to load cargoes, the data showed.
Meanwhile, an Indian-flagged tanker carrying 2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude oil loaded late last week made a U-turn off the tip of Oman at the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to the same ship-tracking data.
| Vessel Type | Vessel Name | Owner/Manager | Cargo | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNG tanker | Al Ghariya | QatarEnergy | Empty (ballast) | Turned back |
| LNG tanker | Duhail | QatarEnergy | Empty (ballast) | Turned back |
| LNG tanker | Al Ruwais | QatarEnergy | Empty (ballast) | Turned back |
| Crude oil tanker | Indian-flagged (unnamed) | Not specified | 2 million barrels Kuwaiti crude | Turned back |
| VLCC (crude) | Tenjun | Nippon Yusen KK | 2 million barrels Qatari crude (loaded late Feb) | Exited strait late Tuesday |
| VLCC (crude) | Pertamina Pride | Pertamina (Indonesia) | 2 million barrels Saudi crude (loaded early March) | Exited strait Tuesday (transponder off) |
Impact on LNG and Crude Flows
Since the conflict began in late February, at least 16 LNG cargoes from Ras Laffan and 10 from ADNOC's Das Island terminal in the United Arab Emirates have exited the strait, according to the source. However, this is still a fraction of the roughly 7 million metric tons on average typically shipped from both export hubs each month, the report noted.
A queue of ballast (empty) vessels waiting to load at Ras Laffan has built up, reaching more than 10 ships in early July, according to analysts at Vortexa. Furthermore, over 50 QatarEnergy- and ADNOC-controlled ballast vessels are stationed around the Middle East Gulf, India, and the Malacca Strait, with some switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals for more than 10 days, Vortexa added.
Operators and Shipper Implications
For freight forwarders, logistics managers, and shippers reliant on oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the immediate operational impact includes potential delays for both outbound loaded cargoes and inbound ballast vessels needed to load new cargoes. The raised threat level to "severe" may increase insurance premiums for vessels transiting the waterway and prompt further diversions to alternative routes, lengthening transit times and raising costs. The buildup of ballast vessels at Ras Laffan indicates a growing supply chain bottleneck for LNG loading, which could affect contract fulfilment for buyers dependent on Qatari LNG.
Carriers such as Nippon Yusen KK and Pertamina have vessels that successfully exited the strait, but the environment remains unpredictable. Nippon Yusen declined to comment on the Tenjun tanker, and Pertamina did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
Watch List
Key factors to monitor include: (1) whether additional vessels divert from the Strait of Hormuz, (2) further escalation of military actions in the waterway, (3) the duration of the "severe" threat risk designation, and (4) the evolution of the ballast vessel queue at Ras Laffan and other export terminals, which could signal prolonged delays in LNG and crude oil loading schedules.
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