QatarEnergy, the second-largest LNG exporter globally, has halted the shipment of tankers through the Red Sea due to security concerns.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group has been attacking ships since November in the Red Sea, a shipping route that accounts for about 12% of global shipping traffic, in what they say is an effort to support the Palestinians' war with Israel.
QatarEnergy has chosen to retain at least four LNG tankers from shipping in the Red Sea. A senior source confirmed this decision while emphasizing that production activities persist.
Specifically, the vessels Al Ghariya, Al Huwaila, and Al Nuaman from Qatar were heading to the Suez Canal but stopped off the coast of Oman on Jan. 14. Another vessel returning to Qatar, the Al Rekayyat, also stopped in the Red Sea on Jan. 13.
Qatar transported more than 75 million tons of LNG in 2023, of which 14 million tons were sold to European buyers and 56.4 million tons were sold to Asia.
