10 oil and gas ships arriving at Chittagong Port amid Middle East crisis

Ten ships carrying oil and gas are arriving at Chittagong Port at a time when the spread of war in the Middle East has created uncertainty over Bangladesh’s oil and gas import. These vessels have begun reaching Chattogram from various countries around the world, including those in the Persian Gulf, before the Strait of Hormuz was closed.

Among the ships that have reached the port or are on their way, four are carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and two are carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In addition, four other ships have arrived carrying different types of fuel products, including diesel. Altogether, the ten vessels are transporting nearly 375,000 tonnes of oil and gas.

Following a joint attack by the United States and Israel on Iran on 28 February and Tehran’s retaliatory response, tensions have intensified around the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, nearly one-fifth of the global supply of oil and LNG is now at risk.

Bangladesh conducts trade with seven countries—Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia—through the Strait of Hormuz. Due to the war situation, transportation from Oman, which lies near the strait, has also become risky via routes through the Gulf of Oman. Ships from the Persian Gulf reach Bangladesh by crossing the Strait of Hormuz and passing through the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal.

Amid this situation, discussions are underway about how many fuel-carrying ships are arriving at Chittagong Port. Fearing a reduction in global fuel supply due to instability in the Middle East, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) set limits on fuel sales last Friday.

Four LNG ships

According to data from Chittagong Port, two vessels—Al Zour and Al Jasasiya—have already arrived carrying 126,000 tonnes of LNG from Qatar. In addition, two more vessels, Lusail and Al Ghalayel, are expected to reach the port’s outer anchorage tomorrow (Monday) and on Wednesday respectively. In total, these four ships are carrying about 247,000 tonnes of LNG.

These vessels left Ras Laffan Port in Qatar and crossed the Strait of Hormuz two to seven days before the conflict began.

Md Nurul Alam, senior deputy general manager of Uni Global Business Limited, the local representative of the LNG vessels, told Prothom Alo on Saturday that the arrival of the four ships at Chattogram Port is almost certain. However, another LNG carrier named Libretha is still inside the Strait of Hormuz. The ship has already been loaded with LNG and is waiting to cross the strait. There is uncertainty regarding subsequent shipments.

Meanwhile, to avoid supply shortages during the war situation, the government has purchased two LNG cargoes at higher prices from the spot market, which have not yet arrived at the port.

Bangladesh imports LPG from Middle Eastern countries. A ship named Sevan, carrying 22,172 tonnes of LPG, is scheduled to arrive at Chittagong Port today (Sunday) from Sohar Port in Oman, having departed from the Gulf of Oman before the conflict began.

Earlier, another LPG carrier named GYMM had already reached the port from the same port before the war began. That vessel carried 19,316 tonnes of LPG.

In total, the two ships are carrying 41,488 tonnes of LPG. According to shipping agents, about 35,000 tonnes of this LPG belongs to Meghna Fresh LPG, a subsidiary of Meghna Group of Industries, while the remaining portion has been imported by JMI Industrial Gas Limited.

At a time when diesel reserves in the country are declining, a 31,000-tonne vessel named SPT Themis is on its way to the port. According to ship-tracking websites, it is expected to arrive on 12 March.

Meanwhile, a vessel named Hua Sun has arrived carrying 14,000 tonnes of condensate, a gas by-product, from Malaysia. Condensate is used to produce diesel, octane, petrol, and LPG.

In addition, two ships carrying 40,000 tonnes of furnace oil have arrived from Singapore. Earlier, on 4 March, two vessels carrying LPG and diesel reached the port after the Middle East conflict began. Those ships—Oriental Greenstone and Paul—unloaded their cargo and left the port on Friday.

Relevant sources said that in the 2024–25 fiscal year, Bangladesh imported goods worth about USD 6 billion from these countries through the Strait of Hormuz, a large portion of which consisted of fuel products. However, if the situation around the strait does not normalise, uncertainty may arise over the arrival of new ships.