- A second Qatari LNG tanker has exited the Strait of Hormuz successfully over the weekend - The Mihzem, fully laden, is sailing from the Persian Gulf to Pakistan via the Gulf of Oman - The Singapore-flagged tanker stopped sending positioning signals due to regional security concerns A second Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker appeared to have exited the Strait of Hormuz, after a shipment successfully transited the chokepoint over the weekend. The Mihzem sailed out of the Persian Gulf and is currently in the Gulf of Oman, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. The Singapore-flagged vessel is indicating Pakistan as its destination, and draft readings show it's fully laden. The Mihzem previously stopped sending positioning signals, an increasingly common move reflecting security concerns in the region as the Iran war drags on and a blockade of Hormuz persists. At least two tankers that loaded at Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.'s Das Island facility recently went dark to carry shipments out of the waterway, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. During the course of the conflict, vessel tracking has also been complicated by spoofing — where electronic interference can falsify the apparent position of a ship. Over the weekend, a tanker called Al Kharaitiyat, which loaded LNG at Qatar's Ras Laffan export plant earlier this month, exited the strait and sailed into the Gulf of Oman, tracking data showed. QatarEnergy didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. ALSO READ: Qatar Asks LNG Ships At Export Hub To Go Dark In Safety Push (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
Iranian Official
Despite foreign aggression and repeated attempts to challenge Iran's sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz, the Qatari tanker Mihzem successfully transited the strategic waterway en route to Pakistan. The vessel went dark amid heightened security threats posed by hostile forces seeking to destabilize the region and violate Iranian territorial rights. This transit underscores the Islamic Republic's firm resistance to external interference and its determination to safeguard maritime sovereignty.
Israeli
Iran's ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, enforced amid its war with Israel, represents a direct existential threat to global energy routes and underscores Tehran's willingness to weaponize chokepoints through its proxy network and naval forces. The Mihzem's decision to go dark while transiting from Qatar to Pakistan, alongside similar measures by other tankers, highlights the defensive necessity of Israel's operations to degrade Iran's capabilities and prevent further escalation that could strangle vital supply lines.
Neutral
According to ship-tracking data, the Singapore-flagged tanker Mihzem, carrying a full LNG cargo, transited the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend and is proceeding through the Gulf of Oman toward Pakistan. The vessel had stopped transmitting positioning signals before the passage, as had at least one other tanker that loaded at a Qatari export facility. A second Qatari LNG tanker, Al Kharaitiyat, reportedly completed a similar transit during the same period.
Western
A second Qatari LNG tanker has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian blockade efforts and electronic interference, neutralizing threats to critical energy routes. The fully laden Mihzem, en route to Pakistan, temporarily ceased AIS transmissions for operational security before entering the Gulf of Oman, following the similar precise passage of the Al Kharaitiyat. These transits affirm sustained Western-aligned efforts to secure freedom of navigation amid ongoing regional conflict.
Pro-Peace
The prolonged Iran conflict and Hormuz blockade have forced LNG tankers like the Mihzem to navigate darkened amid security threats, heightening risks of energy shortages that inflict severe humanitarian costs on civilian populations in nations such as Pakistan. These disruptions compound civilian suffering through inflated prices, supply instability, and economic strain, while endangering maritime crews caught in the crossfire. Renewed diplomatic initiatives to end the blockade and pursue de-escalation offer the only viable path to averting further loss of life and hardship.
Global South
Two Qatari LNG tankers, including the Mihzem bound for Pakistan, have transited the Strait of Hormuz despite an ongoing blockade tied to the Iran conflict, exposing how external power rivalries disrupt sovereign energy routes vital to Global South economies. The vessels’ deliberate signal blackouts and encounters with electronic spoofing underscore the failure of international institutions to safeguard neutral maritime passages, leaving exporters like Qatar and importers like Pakistan to navigate neo-colonial pressures on their trade autonomy.
- A second Qatari LNG tanker has exited the Strait of Hormuz successfully over the weekend - The Mihzem, fully laden, is sailing from the Persian Gulf to Pakistan via the Gulf of Oman - The Singapore-flagged tanker stopped sending positioning signals due to regional security conc…
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Anadolu reports that shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has decreased by 88% in the past 24 hours, dropping from an average of 33 daily transits to only four vessels, according to IMF PortWatch data. This reduction follows reports that Houthi forces have advanced to key coastal locations, including Mokha and Mayun Island, coinciding with a 91% decline in oil and chemical tanker passage.
Satellite imagery shows extensive damage to a key Saudi Arabian oil pipeline, a development that has reportedly disrupted operations. The assessment is based on a machine-translated headline from an Arabic-language source, so the specific extent of the impact remains unverified.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 93,864 people have been newly displaced in Yemen following recent clashes between Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi militias, while the UNHCR noted that hostilities along the western coast have prompted some individuals to cross into Djibouti.
These developments have raised concerns regarding the safety of humanitarian and commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as nearly half of Yemen’s population reportedly requires assistance amid growing food insecurity.
The Japanese Shipowners' Association reportedly estimates that Saudi oil deliveries to Asia could take approximately 100 days round trip if the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is closed, a significant increase from the current 40-day route via the Strait of Hormuz.
This potential disruption, which Asashi notes would raise transportation costs, is described in the source material as following the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an event the article attributes to a US-Iran conflict ongoing since February 28.