TEHRAN: The third Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessel from Qatar has entered the Strait of Hormuz after receiving special clearance from Iranian authorities. The vessel, identified as the Mazham, was last reported moving past Hingam Island.
Loaded at Qatar’s massive Ras Laffan terminal, the ship is the third such tanker permitted by Tehran to transit the strategic waterway within the last 15 days. Shipping sources indicate that the Mazham is destined for the Engro Terminal at Port Qasim, Karachi.
The arrival of these shipments marks a critical turning point following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to regional hostilities earlier this year.
According to industry reports, this is the first successful resumption of Qatari LNG transits to Pakistan since the outbreak of war in late February, which had previously forced tankers to turn back due to high-security risks.
The Mazham follows the successful transit of the Al-Kharitiat, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel that has already reached Karachi waters, and an initial tanker that anchored at Port Qasim on April 30 to signal the start of this Tehran-approved northern route.
While Iran’s approval of the passage is being viewed by analysts as a confidence-building measure and a limited de-escalation for energy shipping, it comes with a stern diplomatic warning. Concurrent with the vessel’s transit, Tehran issued a sharp advisory regarding a United States-led resolution concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian officials warned that supporters of the U.S. resolution should beware of serious consequences, underscoring that while the passage for Pakistani-bound energy is open, the maritime corridor remains a flashpoint of geopolitical friction.
It is pertinent to mention here that the arrival of these tankers is part of a crucial government-to-government deal between Doha and Islamabad. Pakistan, which has been grappling with acute domestic gas shortages and high energy costs, views these shipments as a vital lifeline.
Before the recent conflict, Qatar accounted for nearly twenty percent of the global LNG supply. The disruption caused by the blockade of Hormuz and attacks on production facilities had left energy-dependent nations like Pakistan in a precarious position. As the Al-Kharitiat docks and the Mazham makes its way through the Gulf of Oman, energy experts caution that while these individual transits provide temporary relief, a full and stable reopening of the Strait remains contingent on broader regional stability.
