Another LNG carrier operated by state-owned QatarEnergy (QE) appears to have exited the strait of Hormuz over the week for delivery to India, based on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals recorded on 30 September.
The 145,500m³ Milaha Qatar, a steam-powered LNG carrier, was located in the Arabian Sea off India's west coast on 30 September, according to ship-tracker data from Kpler. The vessel has declared it will be arriving at India's 5mn t/yr Hazira terminal on 30 September. The LNG is likely meant for Indian state-owned Gujarat State Petroleum (GSPC).
This is possibly the second cargo received at the Hazira terminal that came through the strait of Hormuz. The terminal previously received the 137,000m3 Al Hamra, which loaded at the UAE's 5.6mn t/yr Das Island export terminal on 30 July and discharged at Hazira on 28 August.
Most of the recent dark Hormuz transits were delivered to south Asia — particularly India. The increase in arrivals may reduce India's near-term spot procurement needs, although importers could still return to the spot market to secure supply for downstream demand, especially from the fertilizer sector.
Separately, the QE-operated 263,000m³ Al Samriya has departed Singapore and is en route to South Korea's 41 mn t/yr Pyeong Taek LNG terminal, owned by major gas importer Kogas.
Another QE-operated ship, the 266,000m³ Mekaines, reactivated its AIS signal on 30 September near Ras Laffan anchorage without any LNG loaded onboard. The vessel's previous AIS position, received on 29 September after being offline for eight days, had placed it near Kuwait while laden.
