Alarm in Europe: Qatar Suspends Gas Supplies Through Red Sea

Amid colder temperatures in the Old World, Qatar, Europe’s second-largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has suspended the dispatch of LNG tankers through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The stoppage came after US air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen sharply increased the risks of shipping through the vital waterway.

According to Bloomberg, “QatarEnergy, one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas, has suspended the dispatch of some LNG ships.” Vessel tracking data cited in the report shows that “the LNG carriers Al Ghariya, Al Huwaila, and Al Nuaman loaded liquefied natural gas at Ras Laffan in Qatar and were supposed to be heading to the Suez Canal, but stopped off the coast of Oman on January 14.” The fourth ship, Al Rekayyat, returning to Qatar, stopped half way on January 13 in the Red Sea. “This pause is necessary to obtain safety recommendations. If the crossing (through) the Red Sea remains dangerous, we will, of course, have to go around the Cape of Good Hope,” a source familiar with the situation told the US news agency, referring to the much longer and more expensive route around South Africa. “This does not mean stopping LNG production,” the same source clarified.

The supply freeze has alarmed European energy authorities. Some analysts believe that “the United States and its shale gas producers will benefit from this entire situation.” In 2023, Qatar exported more than 75 million tons of LNG, of which more than 14 million tons went to buyers in Europe and 56.4 million tons to China and other Asian countries.