Qatar halts LNG shipments in the Red Sea, awaits security consultation

An informed source told Reuters on Monday that Qatar Energy, one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters, has ceased sending carriers across the Red Sea despite ongoing production.

The move comes as tensions escalate in the region, hindering at least four LNG carriers earlier this week after the US and British forces conducted airstrikes against the Houthi group in response to their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

According to ship tracking data from LSEG, the carriers Al Ghariya, Al Huwaila, and Al Nuaman were loaded in Ras Laffan in Qatar and were supposed to head towards the Suez Canal but halted off the coast of Oman on January 14. Al Rekayyat also stopped on January 14 through the Red Sea.

An insider stated, "It's a pause to seek security advice. If the passage through the Red Sea remains unsafe, we will divert through the Cape of Good Hope."

The source clarified, "It has nothing to do with production halts."

Requests for comments from Qatar's International Media Office or Qatar Energy went unanswered. Similarly, owners and operators of the four carriers, including Teekay Shipping Glasgow, Pronav for Ship Management, Qatari Gas Carriers, and STASCO, Shell's trading and shipping arm, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reuters