Qatar Sends Empty LNG Carriers Back Toward the Arabian Gulf
Six empty gas carriers are in or heading for the Gulf of Oman, and a seventh has already crossed Hormuz
Several empty LNG carriers linked to Qatar are moving back toward the Arabian Gulf, the clearest sign yet that the producer may be positioning tonnage for a resumption of exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
Six empty gas carriers are in the Gulf of Oman or on their way there. A further empty ship recently crossed Hormuz and is now in the Arabian Gulf heading toward Qatar, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Kpler.
Qatar, which used to account for a fifth of the world's LNG, has all but halted shipments since one of its tankers was attacked in late July. That stands in contrast to its oil exports, which have picked up markedly over the past month. The repositioning suggests a more aggressive posture even as fighting between the United States and Iran has flared again and Tehran has declared a restricted zone outside the strait.
The producer has kept its export complex ticking over rather than shutting it down. It has continued loading LNG onto whatever empty tankers were already inside the gulf, and kept exporting fuel to Kuwait, which helps manage storage and keeps parts of the plant running at minimum levels. Maintaining some output keeps equipment operational and preserves the option of ramping up quickly if the waterway calms.
The cost of that approach is a shrinking pool of empty ships. Fifteen LNG carriers are now idled behind Hormuz carrying Qatari gas, while two more are loading at the export terminal at Ras Laffan. Every laden ship that cannot sail is a ship that cannot come back empty, and the fleet arithmetic tightens with each week the strait stays closed to gas.
The caution has not gone away. Two empty LNG tankers appeared to attempt a transit over the past few days and turned around; both are now waiting near the eastern entrance to the strait. That is the same pattern seen last week, when one QatarEnergy carrier transited openly with its transponder on for the first time in nearly six weeks without a general resumption following it.
The absence of Qatari cargoes has left Asian and European buyers scrambling for replacement supply and kept LNG prices elevated. A resumption would be felt first by price-sensitive South Asian buyers, several of whom are managing shortages and power cuts. QatarEnergy publishes its own export and operational announcements through its media centre.
This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 10 September 2026.
