RismadarVoice Reporters
September 2, 2026
Three liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been transferred between ships outside the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks as regional tensions continue to disrupt energy shipments, according to ship-tracking firms.
The ship-to-ship (STS) transfers involved LNG cargoes destined for India and Japan, with the operations carried out outside the strategic waterway linking the Persian Gulf to global markets.
The transfers took place amid heightened security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz following ongoing conflict involving Iran, which has affected commercial shipping activities in the region.
Ship-tracking data from Vortexa and Kpler showed that the LNG carrier GasLog Shanghai completed a transfer with GasLog Savannah off the coast of Oman in late August.
The GasLog Shanghai had previously experienced an incident while leaving the Strait of Hormuz after loading cargo from Qatar’s Ras Laffan export terminal.
Another transfer involved the QatarEnergy-controlled Al Rekayyat LNG tanker, which moved cargo to another Qatari LNG vessel, Tembek, in mid-August. The cargo was later delivered to India’s Dahej terminal on August 31, according to Kpler data.
A third operation involved ADNOC-controlled LNG tanker Mraweh, which transferred cargo to LNG Enugu off Oman’s coast. LNG Enugu is currently travelling to Japan’s Futtsu terminal, according to shipping data.
Ship-to-ship LNG transfers are considered uncommon compared with crude oil operations, as most LNG tankers typically deliver cargo directly to their final destinations after navigating through major shipping routes.
The disruptions in the region have affected LNG supply flows, contributing to higher energy prices. Asian spot LNG prices reportedly reached a five-month high of $23.20 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), more than double pre-conflict levels.
QatarEnergy, ADNOC and several shipping companies involved in the transfers did not immediately comment on the reported operations.
