KARACHI – Pakistan’s LNG supply has been under pressure, with expensive spot cargoes and disrupted Qatari shipments adding to the uncertainty. Now, a major relief has arrived at Port Qasim as a Qatari LNG tanker carrying more than 142,000 cubic metres of gas docks in Pakistan.
Al Marrouna, carrying 142,217.21 cubic metres of LNG, berthed at the Engro Energy Terminal (EETL) at around 11:38am on Thursday, according to Port Qasim Authority officials.
The shipment is particularly significant because the vessel crossed the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway at the centre of the ongoing regional conflict. Other reporting has described the cargo as Pakistan’s first Qatari LNG shipment through the strait since July.
The South Asian naiton has been under mounting pressure to maintain LNG supplies after disruptions to Qatari shipments left the country scrambling for alternatives.
Qatar is a major pillar of Pakistan’s LNG supply system, with Islamabad relying on long-term arrangements with Doha for relatively predictable supplies. But renewed fighting around the Gulf disrupted that flow, including the cancellation of a Qatari cargo scheduled for July 2026.
Qatar subsequently invoked force majeure, adding to uncertainty over future LNG deliveries and forcing Pakistan to consider emergency purchases, alternative fuels and expensive spot-market cargoes.
The latest shipment therefore offers some breathing room for Pakistan’s energy sector, but the broader supply problem is far from over.
The pressure has also been visible in Pakistan LNG Ltd’s recent attempts to buy additional cargoes. BP Singapore emerged as the only bidder in one tender, offering LNG at $26.9 per MMBtu for delivery between September 4 and 8. Pakistan rejected the offer because of its high price.
The company subsequently reduced its quotation to $26.7128 per MMBtu for a September 8–12 delivery window. Even after the reduction, PLL again declined the offer. Pakistan then reissued its tender, seeking another LNG cargo for delivery between September 12 and 16, as the government continued searching for supplies amid tight global availability and elevated spot prices.
There could be further relief ahead. Another vessel carrying Qatari LNG is reportedly expected to head towards Pakistan in the coming days, according to Bloomberg, citing traders familiar with the shipments. The additional cargo could help Pakistan avoid making more expensive purchases on the international spot market.
For Islamabad, the arrival of Al Marrouna is more than another routine LNG delivery. It comes after weeks of disruption, expensive procurement attempts and uncertainty over whether Qatar’s crucial gas supplies could continue moving through the strategically vital Hormuz route.
