More liquefied natural gas tankers have resumed transiting the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, ship-tracking data showed, and 22 Japan-linked vessels have left the Gulf since Tuesday, Tokyo said, despite renewed fighting in the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and LNG shipments, has been closely watched by shipping companies and governments following Iranian attacks this week on commercial vessels and US retaliatory strikes on Iran that have reduced traffic through the waterway.
But at least five ballast LNG tankers have entered the strait in recent days, according to data from Kpler and LSEG.
The vessels include GasLog Shanghai, controlled by Greek shipping company GasLog, and QatarEnergy-linked carriers Al Samriya, Al Dafna, Al Gattara and Al Rayyan.
The GasLog Shanghai and Al Rayyan likely transited into the strait overnight, having been seen outside the waterway on Thursday, the data showed.
The other three QatarEnergy-linked vessels were last seen outside the Strait of Hormuz, off the west coast of India several weeks ago.
Meanwhile, 22 Japan-linked vessels transited the strait to exit over the last few days, Japan transport minister Yasushi Kaneko said yesterday. — Reuters
