Amidst threats, QatarEnergy suspends Red Sea LNG shipping and requests security advice.
Amidst threats, QatarEnergy suspends Red Sea LNG shipping and requests security advice.
By Andrew Mills, Emily Chow, and Maha El Dahan
January 15, 2024
January 15, DOHA/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A senior source with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters on Monday that QatarEnergy, the second-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world, has ceased sending vessels via the Red Sea even though production is still ongoing.
Since November, the Houthi group in Yemen, which is supported by Iran, has been assaulting ships in the Red Sea. This particular route is responsible for almost 12% of all shipping traffic worldwide. The organization claims to be supporting the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel.
Following the response of many air and naval attacks by American and British forces against Houthi positions in Yemen, at least four tankers that were transporting Qatari LNG were stalled over the weekend.
LSEG shiptracking data shows that the Al Ghariya, Al Huwaila, and Al Nuaman stopped off the coast of Oman on January 14, despite having filled LNG at Ras Laffan in Qatar and being headed to the Suez Canal. On January 13, the Al Rekayyat, which was returning to Qatar, made a halt in the Red Sea.
"It is a pause to get security advice, if passing (through the) Red Sea remains unsafe we will go via the Cape," said a source. "It is not a halt of production."
Requests for comment were not immediately answered by QatarEnergy or the International Media Office of the Qatari government.
According to ICIS LNG expert Alex Froley, the 18-day journey from Qatar might take an additional nine days if taking the other route around the Cape of Good Hope to reach Europe.
A trader estimated that this may raise the cost of the cargo by 1.30 to 1.50 euros per megawatt hour (MWh), albeit the savings from not having to pay Suez Canal tolls would offset some of the cost.
Another trading insider stated on Monday, "Qatar will just take the long route via Cape of Good Hope, which will result in delivery delays but nothing dramatic for European balances."
Requests for comment were not immediately answered by the shipowners and managers of the four boats, including Teekay Shipping Glasgow, Pronav Ship Management, Nakilat Shipping Qatar Ltd, and Shell's shipping and chartering division STASCO.
According to LSEG data, Qatar exported over 75 million metric tons (MMt) of LNG in 2023, with 14 MMt going to customers in Europe and 56.4 MMt going to Asia.
While some LNG ships have altered their route, others have persisted in passing Yemen via the Red Sea and Suez Canal, where Qatar, the US, and Russia are the top fuel exporters.
According to S&P, 14.8 MMt of LNG from Qatar, 8.8 MMt from the United States, and 3.7 MMt from Russia pass via the canal annually.
Front month European benchmark gas prices on the Dutch TTF hub were down 1.20 euros at 30.40 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) by 0842 GMT, LSEG data showed.
Due to ample storage in Europe and northeast Asia, spot LNG prices in Asia dropped to a seven-month low of $10.10 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) on Friday.
Despite a 1% increase on Friday, oil prices continued to decline due to worries that the war may affect supplies.
Additional reporting by Marwa Rashad in London and Nora Buli in Oslo; reporting by Emily Chow, Florence Tan, and Cassandra Yap in Singapore, Maha El Dahan in Davos, and Andrew Mills in Doha; Kirsten Donovan and Tom Hogue edited this.
Source reuters.com
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