Qatar and Abu Dhabi are running out of time and patience concerning the Middle East conflict, reports Bloomberg. To ensure LNG supplies, the countries are resorting to ship radio silence and shadow navigation.
Major liquefied natural gas producers, Qatar and the UAE, are experiencing a lack of time and patience due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Consequently, their vessels have begun concealing their movements to facilitate LNG exports, as reported by Bloomberg, citing sources and ship-tracking data.
As noted by the agency, neither Qatar nor Abu Dhabi are under sanctions. However, tankers belonging to QatarEnergy and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. have started “going dark” – a measure intended to mitigate risks for vessels and crews navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Bloomberg, at least four Qatari vessels and an equal number of ADNOC (Abu Dhabi) tankers passed through the strait undetected in May. Sources indicate that Qatar has begun requesting that chartered or owned tankers disable their transponders while near Ras Laffan, the world’s largest LNG export terminal, as well as when attempting to transit the Persian Gulf or exiting it.
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