QatarEnergy extends LNG supply suspension to Bangladesh till Nov
Cargo cancellations continue as shipping through Strait of Hormuz remains restricted.
QatarEnergy has extended force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to buyers in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Italy as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted amid ongoing security concerns, according to Bloomberg and Reuters.
Bloomberg reported that QatarEnergy notified Pakistani buyers this week that LNG cargo cancellations would continue into October, while the force majeure period for supplies to Bangladesh has been extended beyond September.
Other European buyers have also started receiving similar notices, the report said.
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Italian utility Edison said QatarEnergy would be unable to deliver another five LNG cargoes scheduled between late September and early November.
"QatarEnergy has informed Edison that it will not be able to deliver an additional five LNG cargoes scheduled for the Adriatic LNG receiving terminal in Italy. This will effectively extend the overall force majeure period from beginning of April to early November 2026," Edison said in a press release.
The move brings the total number of affected cargoes to 29, Edison said. The company added that it had secured alternative supplies to meet its commitments.
LNG exports remain severely constrained
The latest extensions come as Qatar's LNG exports remain severely constrained by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
QatarEnergy first suspended LNG operations and declared force majeure on 4 March following the outbreak of the war between the US and Iran and disruptions to shipping through the strategic waterway.
Missile attacks on QatarEnergy's Ras Laffan facilities in March subsequently damaged infrastructure.
QatarEnergy President and CEO and Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said the Iranian missile strikes on Ras Laffan had reduced Qatar's LNG export capacity by 17%.
In July, the Qatari LNG tanker Al Rekayyat was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar said Iran was responsible for the attack.
The vessel was struck on its port side, while its crew was safely evacuated.
QatarEnergy said repairs to two other units damaged in attacks on Ras Laffan could take between three and five years, according to Euronews.
Limited LNG movements resumed after a June memorandum between the US and Iran, but the recovery did not last as renewed attacks again raised shipping risks.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained a major constraint on Qatari LNG exports, with Reuters reporting that Qatar's LNG shipments had fallen sharply amid the prolonged disruption.
Bangladesh has already been grappling with a persistent gas crisis, which has affected power generation and industrial production.
