Pakistan secures second Qatari LNG cargo via Hormuz this month
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✧ GENERATE BRIEFING
Pakistan has successfully secured safe passage for a second Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo through the Strait of Hormuz this month, averting immediate supply deficits amid severe regional maritime disruptions. Loaded at Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility in late June, the tanker transited the strategic waterway over the weekend following diplomatic negotiations and is scheduled to dock at Pakistani import terminals by Tuesday, following the earlier arrival of the LNG carrier Al Marrouna at Port Qasim. The successful transit shields Pakistan from expensive spot-market purchases while international prices sit at multi-year highs and ongoing US-Iran conflicts restrict daily strait traffic. Although long-term agreements with Qatar remain critical for baseline energy stability, continuing security constraints in the Persian Gulf threaten regional exports and complicate the broader expansion timelines of Qatar's energy infrastructure.
Pakistan has negotiated safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for another liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from Qatar, providing some relief to the country’s energy supply situation amid continued disruption to regional shipping.
According to a Bloomberg report, the LNG tanker loaded its cargo at Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility in late June and crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after passage was negotiated between government officials. Ship-tracking data showed the vessel is expected to reach Pakistan’s LNG import facility by Tuesday.
The shipment would mark the second Qatari LNG cargo delivered to Pakistan this month. Earlier, the LNG carrier Al Marrouna arrived at Port Qasim carrying Qatari LNG after also transiting the strategically important waterway.
Pakistan had been considering an LNG tender if the latest Qatari shipment failed to pass through Hormuz. Securing the cargo allows the government to avoid an additional spot-market purchase at a time when international LNG prices have risen sharply and are at their highest levels since 2022.
Pakistan relies heavily on its long-term LNG agreements with Qatar for relatively stable supplies. However, disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz led to the cancellation of a Qatari shipment scheduled for July, after which Qatar declared force majeure on certain LNG deliveries.
The disruption has forced Pakistan to explore emergency cargoes and alternative fuels while monitoring expensive spot-market supplies. The successful passage of another Qatari cargo could therefore help ease pressure on the country’s gas and power sectors in the near term.
The development comes as vessel traffic through Hormuz remains severely reduced because of the continuing US-Iran conflict. Reuters reported that only 17 commodity vessels crossed the strait over the weekend, compared with 37 the previous week and a pre-war average of about 125 vessels a day.
Qatar’s LNG exports remain particularly vulnerable because its seaborne shipments from Ras Laffan must pass through Hormuz. QatarEnergy said the continuing crisis has already affected LNG production capacity and could delay parts of its planned North Field expansion.
For Pakistan, continued access to Qatari LNG through negotiated passages could help reduce dependence on costly spot purchases, although the sustainability of such shipments will depend on security conditions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider regional conflict.
