A ship managed by Adnoc, Abu Dhabi’s state oil company, appears to have been the first fully loaded liquefied natural gas tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the Iran war in late February, according to Kpler, a global maritime data firm.
The flow of liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively halted over the last two months, as the United States and Iran have tightened restrictions over the movement of vessels. The United States has blockaded ships linked to Iran, and Iran has attacked or threatened ships carrying oil, L.N.G. and other products through the Persian Gulf.
Before the war, about 20 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas originated in the Middle East, virtually all of it headed to Asia. In 2025, about three laden L.N.G. tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on average every day, according to data from Kpler analyzed by The New York Times.
It was not clear exactly when the vessel, the Mubaraz, crossed the strait, but on Tuesday, it was near Sri Lanka, according to ship-tracking data. Adnoc did not respond to a request for comment.
“The vessel has likely switched off its transponder for the last month or so,” Charles Costerousse, an analyst at Kpler Insight, said in a note to clients late Monday. The ship’s transponder was turned off for nearly a month, starting on March 31, and it was unclear which route the tanker took through the strait, he said.
The strait’s closure has caused a surge in the cost of energy, especially in Asia and Europe.
Natural gas makes up roughly a quarter of global energy supplies. L.N.G. production from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates fell by close to 10 billion cubic meters that month, according to the International Energy Agency.
The Mubaraz tanker, which holds 137,000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas, loaded up at Das Island in the United Arab Emirates on March 2. Kpler said the vessel was probably headed to a country in Asia. Countries across Asia that rely significantly on L.N.G. for power are already switching to oil- and coal-powered electricity generation and in some cases cutting back usage.
Ivan Penn contributed reporting
Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news and other topics.
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