Qatari LNG and Iraqi Crude Tankers Navigate Strait of Hormuz in May 2026 - News and Statistics

May 25, 2026

Two liquefied natural gas carriers and one supertanker have recently passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to information sourced from a Reuters report cited by OilPrice.com. The two LNG vessels are carrying Qatari gas and are heading toward Pakistan and China respectively. The supertanker, loaded with Iraqi crude, is en route to China. The vessels are using a route that Iran has instructed all ships to follow going forward, the report notes.

At least one of the LNG carriers took on its cargo in late March. The supertanker, carrying Iraqi Basrah crude, loaded its cargo in late February and remained stuck in the Strait of Hormuz since that time. Separately, Bloomberg reported that Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has been operating its own fleet of tankers through the Strait in so-called dark mode, where ships turn off their geolocation devices to avoid detection.

Reports of tankers successfully navigating the Strait have increased over the past couple of weeks. Two supertankers exited the waterway last week and are heading to a final destination in China, while two other LNG carriers also made passage and are bound for India, according to earlier media reports from May. Some vessels have been transiting the chokepoint with transponders switched off to evade the Iranian military.

Since early March, hundreds of vessels—including tankers carrying energy commodities—have been stranded in the Persian Gulf west of the Strait amid a de facto closure of the chokepoint. However, the past couple of weeks have seen some ships moving out. Data from Bloomberg cited by Zerohedge last week indicated that at least 19 tankers carrying crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas from Gulf states other than Iran have traversed the Strait since March 1. Another 100 tankers, however, remain paralyzed in the Strait, according to the same data.

1. INTRODUCTION

Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business

REPORT DESCRIPTION
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A Quick Overview of Market Performance

KEY FINDINGS
MARKET TRENDS This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO

3. MARKET OVERVIEW

Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects

MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
MARKET FORECAST TO 2035

4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business

TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT

5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES

Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain

TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES

6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export

TOP OVERSEAS MARKETS FOR EXPORTING YOUR PRODUCT
TOP CONSUMING MARKETS
UNSATURATED MARKETS
TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS

7. PRODUCTION

The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry

PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

8. IMPORTS

The Largest Import Supplying Countries

IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

9. EXPORTS

The Largest Destinations for Exports

EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS

The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles

11. COUNTRY PROFILES

The Largest Markets And Their Profiles

This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional Edition
PRO

11.1

United States