Read Authentic Ratings for the Rasheeda

In a significant development, two Qatari LNG carriers, 'Al Daayen' and 'Rasheeda', were compelled to change their navigation plans after attempting to transit the Gulf of Hormuz. The 'Al Daayen', which was en route to Tianjin, and the 'Rasheeda', heading for Port Qasim, have both reversed their courses. The 'Al Daayen' updated its Automatic Identification System (AIS) on April 7, 2026, at 09:37 a.m. UTC, now indicating a new destination in Pakistan. These voyages could have set a precedent as the first LNG exports to locations outside the Gulf amidst the ongoing regional turmoil. Nevertheless, this incident underscores the fact that LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz remain significantly impeded, even with some activities occurring within the Gulf.

In a significant move, Nakilat, Qatar’s leading maritime enterprise, is stepping into the spotlight by taking over the management of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) fleet from Shell. Since its inception in 2006, Shell has been instrumental in providing a variety of shipping services to Nakilat, managing a fleet that includes 14 Q-Max and 11 Q-Flex LNG carriers while sharing its maritime expertise. This transition, set to occur in three phases beginning this year, marks a pivotal shift in Nakilat's operational strategy as it consolidates these responsibilities within its own shipmanagement division. Currently, Nakilat successfully oversees four large LPG carriers and four Q-Flex LNG carriers. Notably, this transition represents the largest operational turnover of an LNG fleet worldwide. To date, Nakilat's impressive fleet has delivered over 320 million cubic meters of Qatari LNG to more than 20 different countries, accumulating a staggering 17 million nautical miles—equivalent to over 780 times the circumference of the Earth at the equator.