Pakistan received its seventh Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargo since April after another carrier from Qatar arrived in the country on Monday morning, as Islamabad secures its energy supplies as tensions in the Middle East ease.
Details of the LNG Shipment
According to maritime analytics provider Marine Traffic, MRAIKH is an LNG tanker sailing under the flag of France. Pakistani newspaper "The News" reported that the ship was carrying 170,148 cubic meters of LNG from Qatar under a long-term contract priced at 13.37 percent of Brent crude.
Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in February this year in response to joint US-Israeli strikes against it. Nearly 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supplies are transported through the key maritime route, with its closure driving oil prices higher and creating supply constraints worldwide.
Statement from Port Qasim Authority
"The Ship MRAIKH arrived at Port Qasim today morning carrying LNG from Ras Laffan, Qatar," Asad Warsi, a spokesperson of the Port Qasim Authority in Karachi, told Arab News in a statement. Warsi said with MRAIKH, Pakistan has now received seven LNG cargos since April 1 this year. Three LNG ships berthed at the Engro Elengy Terminal Limited while three others have berthed at the Pakistan GasPort Consortium Limited (PGPCL) LNG import terminal.
"Today, the fourth one is going to berth at PGPCL," the Port Qasim Authority official said.
Impact of Strait of Hormuz Disruption
The Strait of Hormuz disruption marked a sharp reversal for Pakistan's gas sector. The South Asian country had been grappling with an LNG surplus heading into 2026, prompting authorities to negotiate the diversion of dozens of contracted cargoes to other markets. That situation changed when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes targeting Iran in February. The crisis prompted Qatar to invoke force majeure on its energy shipments, causing deliveries to fall sharply and raising fears of a gas shortage in countries worldwide, including Pakistan.
