The passage of a ship carrying liquefied natural gas marks a timid return of traffic in the strait, almost paralyzed since the beginning of the war between Israel, the United States, and Iran.
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/2026/04/28/69f094bc7135f841057773.jpg "A LNG tanker crosses the Strait of Hormuz, a first since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East")
A still fragile signal for energy markets. A methane carrier fully loaded with liquefied natural gas (LNG) left the Gulf in early April by crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a first since its near closure in early March, according to data from the specialized firm Kpler consulted by AFP on Tuesday, April 28. The ship, operated by the Emirati company Adnoc, was carrying over 130,000 m³ of LNG.
The Mubaraz loaded its cargo at Das Island, in the United Arab Emirates, on March 2, and turned off its AIS transponder at the end of March for a month, before turning it back on off the coast of India.
However, this crossing remains exceptional. Since the start of the conflict triggered on February 28, maritime traffic in this strategic zone, through which about 20% of the world’s oil trade transits, has collapsed. According to Kpler, it has dropped by about 95% across all commodities. Some crossing attempts were observed in mid-April, but very few fully loaded ships managed to leave the area.
