Amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East that have raised concerns over Bangladesh’s energy imports, eight vessels carrying LNG and LPG have reached Chattogram Port.
The vessels successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz before 28 February, prior to the escalation of the conflict. Shipping through the vital waterway has remained suspended since the outbreak of war on that date.
Syed Refaet Hamim, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority, confirmed the information on Sunday. According to him, a review of vessels arriving at the port until 7 March shows that eight ships had already transited the Strait of Hormuz before the conflict began.
Data from the port indicates that the fleet includes five LNG carriers, two LPG carriers, and one vessel carrying MEG. The LNG carriers – Al Zore, Al Jassasiya, Lusail, Al Galayel, And Lebrethah – originated from Ras Laffan Port in Qatar.
Together, these vessels are carrying 309,110 tonnes of LNG. Meanwhile, two LPG carriers, LPG Sevan and G YMM, have arrived from Sohar Port in Oman, carrying a combined 41,488 tonnes of LPG. While several of these ships have already reached the port, the remaining two vessels are expected to arrive between 9 March (Monday) and 14 March.
While ships that departed before the disruption managed to reach Bangladesh, those scheduled to depart later have remained stranded at several Middle Eastern ports, including those in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Dubai.
