Two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers departing from Ras Laffan, Qatar, were forced to turn back after heading eastward toward the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-tracking data released Monday, highlighting ongoing disruptions to energy flows amid escalating regional conflict. The vessels—Al Daayen and Rasheeda—had loaded cargoes in late February, data from Kpler and LSEG showed. The Al Daayen was signalling China as its destination before reversing course. Both tankers are controlled by QatarEnergy. Had the ships successfully transited the Strait, they would have marked the first LNG cargo passage through the critical chokepoint since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran on February 28.
