First Fully Loaded LNG Tanker Passes Through Strait of Hormuz Since War

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

The LNG tanker Mubaraz, operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, became the first fully loaded vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the regional conflict escalated in early March. This transit signals a potential easing of disruptions in a crucial energy corridor that had been heavily impacted by Iranian restrictions and a U.S. counter-blockade, affecting global LNG supply.

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker has navigated through the Strait of Hormuz fully loaded for the first time since the onset of conflict in the Middle East earlier this year, according to maritime data analysts. The vessel, Mubaraz, operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), departed the Gulf region in April carrying 132,890 cubic meters of LNG after loading at Das Island in the United Arab Emirates on March 2.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route where roughly 20 percent of the world’s LNG trade passes in peacetime, was effectively closed in early March following escalations triggered by US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iranian forces restricted passage through the strait, significantly disrupting maritime traffic.

After failed negotiations with Tehran, the United States initiated a counter-blockade on April 13, turning away vessels from Iranian ports and conducting inspections on ships in Asian waters, including two oil tankers. The blockade further complicated the movement of energy shipments in the region.

The Mubaraz switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder at the end of March for nearly a month, before reactivating it near the Indian coast on Monday. Analysts suggest the tanker may have transited the strait around the weekend of April 18–19, during which several vessels attempted passage, though this has not been confirmed.

Before this, the only LNG carrier to traverse the strait since March was the Sohar LNG, but it was either empty or carrying a very light load, underscoring the impact of regional tensions on LNG exports. The disruption has heavily affected the LNG market, where Qatar is a major supplier.

Meanwhile, satellite tracking and media reports have noted several Iranian oil tankers remaining stationary near the strait, potentially signaling difficulties in successfully exporting oil amid the US blockade. Among them is the Nasha, an older Iranian supertanker recently recommissioned and reportedly loaded with two million barrels of oil, anchored within the Gulf. Additional tankers have been observed near the Iranian port of Chabahar, west of the strait adjacent to the area monitored under US enforcement.

Maritime tracking services reported around 20 Iranian tankers currently unladen and awaiting cargo, though the exact number remains uncertain. Many of these vessels have deactivated their transponders, complicating efforts to monitor their movements amid ongoing regional maritime tensions.