India Receives First LNG Cargo as Strait of Hormuz Reopens

The vessel, chartered by Petronet LNG and managed by an Indian shipping consortium, cleared the narrow passage on Monday. It carried a cargo loaded at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal in early March, shortly before regional tensions and missile strikes halted production and effectively shuttered the Gulf’s critical energy corridor. While the Disha reached the Bharuch port authority safely, other operators remain cautious. Opesh Kumar Sharma of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways confirmed that no other India-flagged vessels have exited the Persian Gulf since the Disha’s transit, as tanker owners await further safety assurances.

Qatar has begun repositioning its fleet toward the Middle East, anticipating a full resumption of exports from the world’s second-largest LNG supplier. However, the path to stability remains fragile. Switzerland reported on Friday that planned U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks in Geneva have been postponed, leaving the long-term status of the reopened waterway subject to shifting geopolitical winds.