Al Kharaitiyat has passed through the Strait of Hormuz bound for Port Qasim, becoming the first Qatari LNG carrier to leave the Persian Gulf since the regional conflict began, according to Drewry Maritime Advisors.
The Q-flex vessel loaded at Ras Laffan, and Drewry said the sailing could mark the start of a limited reopening of LNG flows from Qatar through the chokepoint. As of 11 May, 13 LNG carriers remained inside the strait.
Drewry said four laden vessels — Disha, Patris, Mihzem and Al Daayen — were showing movement patterns similar to Al Kharaitiyat, with loading at Ras Laffan followed by AIS spoofing and a move towards the exit. That suggests more departures may follow.
Drewry said Mihzem could be the next vessel to pass through the strait and reach Pakistan thereafter.
The consultancy said two Adnoc LNG carriers, one laden and one in ballast, had already exited the strait since the conflict started, while Al Kharaitiyat was the first Qatari LNG carrier to do so. It added that the voyage was enabled by a direct government-to-government arrangement between Qatar and Pakistan with support from the Iranian authorities, and that up to four Qatari LNG cargoes could transit Hormuz for Pakistan.
Drewry said LNG carrier traffic through Hormuz had fallen sharply since the conflict erupted, with LNG carrier concentration across the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea down 60%. It also said no LNG carrier had entered the strait since hostilities began.
For Kuwait, Drewry estimated LNG imports at 0.8m tonnes in January-April 2026, down 1m tonnes year on year, with all volumes sourced from Qatar. Pakistan, which typically received eight LNG carrier discharges a month on average, saw a 48% drop after February, Drewry said.
Selective sailings may support some supply resumption, but Drewry said they do not yet point to a broader recovery in LNG shipping through Hormuz.
Drewry Maritime Advisors is the advisory arm of Drewry, a maritime research and consulting group focused on shipping, ports and supply-chain markets.
Adnoc is the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, the state-owned energy producer of the United Arab Emirates with operations across upstream, downstream, trading and shipping.
QatarEnergy is Qatar’s state-owned energy company and the country’s main LNG producer and exporter.
