31 LNG tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz in October — a record since the start of the conflict

In October, 31 liquefied natural gas tankers left the Strait of Hormuz — eight more than in September and the highest figure since late February. According to S&P Global Energy, the UAE has returned to its pre-war number of transits, while Qatar has restored only slightly more than 30% of its pre-war level. US-Iran talks mediated by Qatar have so far produced no breakthrough.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 10 November 2026 at 16:372 min read

The key facts

31 LNG tankers left the Strait of Hormuz in October — eight more than in September and the highest figure since the conflict began in late February
23 vessels loaded at Qatar's Ras Laffan, eight on Das Island in the UAE
The UAE has returned to pre-war transit numbers, Qatar to only ~30% of its pre-war level; the US and Iran remain far from a diplomatic breakthrough

A record month for LNG shipping

In October, 31 liquefied natural gas tankers left the Strait of Hormuz — eight more than in September. This is the highest monthly figure since late February, when shipping disruptions began due to the conflict. This was reported by Reuters, citing data from S&P Global Energy.

Who loaded cargo and how far shipments have recovered

Of the 31 vessels, 23 loaded at Qatar's Ras Laffan port, and another eight on Das Island in the United Arab Emirates. According to S&P Global Energy analyst Eric Yep, the UAE has already returned to its pre-war number of LNG tanker transits through the strait, while Qatar's figure has reached only slightly more than 30% of its pre-war level. According to Kpler data, 35 LNG cargoes totaling over 2.7 million tonnes were loaded at Ras Laffan in October — the port's highest figure since the conflict began.

Diplomacy lags behind shipping

The rise in transits comes against the backdrop of a lack of progress in negotiations: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington and Tehran are still far from a diplomatic breakthrough. Contentious issues remain Iran's nuclear program, American sanctions, and restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz; Qatar is acting as mediator in the talks. Thus, the October record reflects a partial recovery of cargo flows, but not a resolution of the conflict itself — shipping restrictions formally remain a subject of negotiations.