Qatari LNG tanker bound for Pakistan attacked near Hormuz

A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker carrying a cargo for Pakistan was struck by unidentified objects near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, hours after Iran cleared its passage, according to Bloomberg. Nobody has said who attacked the vessel, the Marshall Islands-flagged Al Mayeda.

The ship is owned by Qatar Gas Transport Company, known as Nakilat. Tracking data showed it sailing in the Gulf, being hit and then reversing course. Nakilat said no crew member was injured, there was no environmental impact, and the vessel remained under control while damage was assessed.

Pakistan negotiated safe passage for the Al Mayeda with Iranian officials, as it has done for several earlier cargoes, Bloomberg reported, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.

India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the ship was struck in a projectile attack and that all 25 crew, including six Indians, were safe. Qatar condemned the attack as a threat to global energy supplies and said it had opened an investigation.

Whether the cargo still reaches Pakistan is not clear. Pakistan received three Qatari cargoes in October and has leaned on its ties with Tehran to keep Qatari LNG moving through the strait. Friday's strike came despite the Iranian approval, which the lead report said shows that a green light from Tehran no longer guarantees a safe crossing.

If the cargo does not arrive, Pakistan may have to buy a replacement on the spot market, where prices have climbed to more than three times pre-war levels, ProPakistani reported. Costlier LNG usually feeds into higher RLNG prices and pressure on gas supply to homes and industry as winter demand rises, the outlet said.

LNG shipments through Hormuz in October stayed at around 30 per cent of pre-war volumes, according to ProPakistani.

Iran has not commented on the attack in the reports available. The reports did not say when the vessel would be able to resume its voyage or whether a replacement cargo had been arranged.

Pakistan's gas utility and the Petroleum Division had not issued a statement on the shipment by the time this report was filed.