State-controlled QatarEnergy's 261,700m³ Al Ghuwairiya LNG carrier switched on its automatic identification equipment in the Indian Ocean today, having not shared its location for almost a month and signalling it has existed the Mideast Gulf laden with LNG. This transit brings the total number of laden LNG carriers to successfully exit the strait of Hormuz in October so far to 14.
The Al Ghuwairiya Q-Max LNG carrier issued a location signal early this morning and is declaring for arrival at an unspecified destination on 30 October, according to ship-tracking data from analytics platform Kpler. The vessel's previous location signal was broadcast from the Gulf of Oman on 19 September.
The Al Ghuwairiya recorded a draught of 12m today, up from 9.2m on 19 September, suggesting the vessel loaded a cargo in the period between the two signals. It is not clear if the Al Ghuwairiya entered the Mideast Gulf and loaded at Qatar's now-64.2mn t/yr Ras Laffan terminal, or if it received a cargo from another carrier though a ship-to-ship transfer.
Including the Al Ghuwairiya, at least 14 LNG carriers controlled by either QatarEnergy or UAE state-controlled Adnoc have reappeared west of Hormuz in October so far.
The Adnoc-operated 140,500m³ Gas Polaris stopped sharing its location on 12 October, after delivering a cargo to India's 5mn t/yr Dabhol terminal on 10 October. The vessel's last signal showed it to be sailing back towards the Gulf, suggesting that it may attempt another dark transit of Hormuz to load again at Adnoc's 5.6mn t/yr Das Island terminal.
