1st French LNG tanker crosses Strait of Hormuz since Iran–US war began

France-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Mraikh, chartered by QatarEnergy, has become the first French LNG carrier to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the Iran–US war, maritime analytics firm Windward reported Thursday.

The vessel left the Gulf after transiting the strategic waterway, with no additional details immediately available on the timing or conditions of its passage.

Mraikh was carrying LNG loaded in Qatar and was en route to Pakistan after passing through the Gulf of Oman.

The ship is operated by Knutsen LNG France, a subsidiary based in Nantes of Norway’s Knutsen OAS Shipping.

On Thursday, a 14-point memorandum of understanding with the US aimed at ending the war was formally finalized.

Commercial ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been sharply disrupted since Feb. 28 amid the US-Israel-Iran war.

Before the conflict, around 130 ships passed through the strait daily, a figure that has since dropped by more than 90%.

About 1,000 vessels have transited the waterway in the first 100 days of the war, averaging roughly 10 per day.

Most ships either use the designated “Iranian route” in Iranian waters or switch off their AIS tracking systems during passage.

The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is a key global energy route linking Gulf producers to international markets.