LNG carriers blacklisted by PGSA still loading in UAE

Market: Natural gas
14/09/26

Two LNG carriers listed by Iran as "non-compliant" for transit through the strait of Hormuz look to have continued loading at the UAE's 5.6mn t/yr Das Island terminal, according to ship-tracking and satellite data.

The 137,000m³ Umm Al Ashtan turned its location signal on while sailing in the Indian Ocean late on 11 September, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler, having last issued an AIS signal on 27 August while entering the Gulf of Oman. The vessel has declared for arrival in India's 5mn t/yr Mundra terminal, which suggests it is carrying a cargo.

The Umm Al Ashtan is operated by the UAE's state-owned Adnoc and was listed as "non-compliant" for transit of Hormuz by Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) on 24 August alongside three other Adnoc LNG carriers. The PGSA said any vessel in breach of the rules could face restrictions on future passages, fines, seizure or confiscation.

The Umm Al Ashtan would have had time to enter and exit the Mideast Gulf through Hormuz and load at Das Island in the period that it did not broadcast its location over 27 August-11 September. The vessel is a moss type carrier with spherical tanks that match those of the LNG carrier docked at Das Island on 7 September, according to satellite imagery from Copernicus.

And a vessel with distinctive green colouring on its upper deck that matches the appearance of the 138,000m³ Marigold LNG was docked at Das Island on 12 September, Copernicus imagery show. The Marigold LNG, which is also on the PGSA list of "non-compliant" vessels, last issued an AIS signal on 30 August offshore of the UAE's Fujairah port — a typical holding position for vessels attempting a "dark" transit of Hormuz.

As well as continuing to use vessels deemed "non-compliant" by the PGSA, Adnoc looks to have also expanded the fleet of LNG carriers that load at Das Island. The 138,000m³ Gas Polaris switched its location signal on while sailing in the Indian Ocean on 11 September. It was docked at Das Island on 2 September, satellite data show.

PGSA adds another QE vessel to "non-compliant" list

Iran's PGSA has added the 152,000m³ Al Daayen LNG carrier, operated by state-owned QatarEnergy (QE), to its list of vessels that are "non-compliant" for transit through the strait of Hormuz.

The PGSA list of "non-compliant" vessels contained 77 ships as of this morning. Some 11 of these are LNG carriers — six operated by QE and five by Adnoc (see table).

The Al Daayen became the first QE vessel to sail through Hormuz since July when it entered the Mideast Gulf on 6 September. The vessel last issued an AIS signal from offshore of Qatar's 64.2mn t/yr Ras Laffan terminal on 13 September.

By Cerys Edwards

PGSA's non-compliant LNG vessels
Vessel	IMO number	Linked to

Al Hamra	9074640	Adnoc
Marigold LNG	9230062	Adnoc
Mraweh	9074638	Adnoc
Mubaraz	9074626	Adnoc
Umm Al Ashtan	9074652	Adnoc
Al Daayen	9325702	QE
Al Rekayyat	9397339	QE
Disha	9250713	QE
Gaslog Shanghai	9600528	QE
Lebrethah	9976927	QE
Rasheedha	9443413	QE
PGSA

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