While tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to simmer over the strategic waterway of the Strait of Hormuz, suppliers are still working to keep fuel moving from inside the Persian Gulf to global markets. Two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers appear to be conducting a ship-to-ship transfer just outside the strait, a rare maneuver given the technical hurdles involved.

Satellite imagery captured by Copernicus Sentinel-2 last Saturday shows the Enugu LNG carrier anchored near the Omani coastal city of Sohar, positioned parallel to another vessel—a configuration typically associated with ship-to-ship operations, suggesting a potential cargo transfer. Vessel tracking data indicates the Enugu, owned by BW Gas LNG Carriers, a unit of BW Group Ltd., has had its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder active, with the ship circling near the Gulf of Oman over the past several days. According to data from TankerTrackers.com Inc., the second vessel has been identified as the Mraweh, owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., with its AIS switched off.

Unlike oil, LNG ship-to-ship transfers are relatively uncommon due to the need to maintain the fuel at ultra-low cryogenic temperatures throughout the process, which requires considerable technical precision. If confirmed, this would likely mark the first known instance of LNG originating from within the Persian Gulf being transferred to another vessel after exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Go Katayama, lead LNG insights analyst at market intelligence firm Kpler, noted, "This pattern allows shuttle vessels to move cargo from Das Island and transfer it outside the strait, thereby lowering the risk exposure faced by other LNG carriers." He added, "We expect such activity to remain elevated while regional security risks persist."

Ship tracking shows the Mraweh was last detected on July 29 inside the Persian Gulf near the western entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Last month, the vessel entered the gulf and turned off its signal while transiting the strait. A spokesperson for Adnoc Logistics & Services, the logistics arm of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., declined to comment on specific operational matters, including voyage planning and vessel movements. BW Group also refused to comment.

These latest vessel movements suggest that suppliers are striving to sustain LNG shipments through the strait, even as visible transits have effectively stalled since early July, when Iran attacked a Qatari-owned LNG carrier. In a related development, on August 17, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Baghaei, stated that Tehran is seriously drafting a maritime route plan with Oman. He noted that the drafting process has been time-consuming due to the complex security situation caused by U.S. and Israeli actions, as well as interference from various parties and obstructive factors. Despite ongoing consultations between Iran and Oman, Tehran has repeatedly made clear that reopening this strategic waterway depends on Washington fulfilling its obligations under the memorandum.

As the 60-day ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran expired on Monday, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz nearly ground to a halt over the weekend, with no formal negotiations underway and no signs of a new agreement emerging. Data from shipping analytics firm Kpler shows that only five cargo vessels transited the global energy artery last Saturday, with no registered crossings on Sunday—a stark contrast to the 31 ships that passed through the strait the previous weekend. Analysts point out that while Washington demands a return to the pre-conflict status quo in the strait, Tehran insists on recognition of its dominance over the waterway—a demand the U.S. cannot accept. Given these fundamentally irreconcilable positions and the current stalemate, experts predict the standoff over the strait is likely to persist for an extended period.