Doha January 15 2024: Qatar appears to have paused sending liquefied natural gas tankers through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after US-led airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen raised risks in the vital waterway.
At least five liquefied natural gas vessels operated by Qatar that were heading toward the passage at the southern end of the Red Sea have been halted since Friday, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Three tankers have paused off the coast of Oman, one is in the Red Sea and the other is in the Mediterranean Sea near the Suez Canal.
The Combined Military Forces — encompassing both the US and UK navies — advised merchant shipping to stay away from the danger zone in the southern Red Sea following the airstrikes on the Iran-backed militant group. At least three major oil tanker operators said they would avoid the area.
The Houthis haven’t attacked any vessels carrying gas since they started harrying ships in mid-November, but Qatar’s reluctance to transit the passage highlights the sharp increase in risks following the US-led strikes. The Persian Gulf nation — one of the world’s biggest LNG exporters — had been one of a handful of gas suppliers continuing to use the Red Sea and Suez Canal to send fuel to Europe. Most LNG exports are opting to use longer routes.
