LNG Carrier Heads to Qatar's Ras Laffan Terminal via Strait of Hormuz

A vessel jointly associated with Greek owner Maran Gas Maritime and Qatari shipowner Nakilat is signalling its destination as Qatar's primary LNG export terminal, with an expected arrival in early June.

The LNG carrier Maran Gas Asclepius, owned jointly by Greece-based Maran Gas Maritime and Qatar's Nakilat, is currently en route through the Strait of Hormuz with its destination flagged as Ras Laffan — Qatar's main liquefied natural gas export terminal. Vessel tracking data from Kpler, recorded on Monday, confirms the ship is travelling in ballast, meaning it is not carrying cargo and is heading to the terminal to take on a new LNG load.

The vessel is scheduled to arrive at Ras Laffan on June 4, 2026. At 21 years old and with a carrying capacity of 145,822 cubic metres, the Maran Gas Asclepius is currently the oldest ship operating within the Maran Gas Maritime fleet.

QatarEnergy's production capacity

The vessel's movement comes in the context of QatarEnergy's recently restarted LNG production capacity, which is currently estimated at 25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). Qatar is one of the world's largest exporters of LNG and the Ras Laffan Industrial City serves as the operational hub for its liquefaction and export activities.

• QatarEnergy LNG capacity — 25 mtpa — Restarted production estimate
• Vessel capacity — 145,822 cbm — Maran Gas Asclepius
• Expected docking — June 4 — Ras Laffan terminal, Qatar

About the owners

Maran Gas Maritime is a Greece-based LNG shipping company and one of the prominent independent LNG vessel operators in the global market. Nakilat, formally known as Qatar Gas Transport Company, is a state-linked Qatari shipowner that operates one of the world's largest LNG tanker fleets, closely aligned with QatarEnergy's export operations.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which the vessel is passing, is a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the broader global shipping network. A significant share of the world's LNG and crude oil exports pass through this narrow waterway, making vessel movements here closely monitored by the energy and shipping industries.