Vessels crossing Strait of Hormuz before Iran war reach Chattogram with LNG, LPG

A fleet of 15 vessels that crossed the Strait of Hormuz just before the outbreak of the Iran-Israel war has begun arriving at Chattogram Port, providing a temporary reprieve for the energy and construction sectors.

According to port data, 12 of these ships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and cement clinker have already docked, while three others are currently in Bangladeshi waters, bdnews24.com reports.

The manifest includes four LNG carriers, two LPG tankers, and nine vessels transporting raw materials for the cement industry.

Port officials and shipping agents noted that while the Strait of Hormuz was not officially shut down immediately following the US-Israel strikes on Iran, maritime traffic has since ground to a virtual halt.

These vessels managed to navigate the vital chokepoint just before the escalation. The LNG carriers Al Zour and Al Jassasiya reached Chattogram on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

Two more, Al Galayel and Lusail, are expected by Monday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, the LPG tanker Sevan is scheduled to dock on Sunday.

“Three LNG vessels are currently en route,” said Nurul Alam, deputy general manager of Uni Global Business Ltd, the local agent for the LNG carriers. “However, another ship that was supposed to load in Qatar could not do so due to the conflict.”

Industry insiders warned that while there is currently no shortage of LPG or LNG, a prolonged war would pose a severe risk to Bangladesh’s supply chain. The country relies heavily on the Hormuz route for imports of crude oil, gas, and raw materials from Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.