Pakistan receives Qatar LNG cargo after nearly two-month gap

Pakistan received an LNG cargo from Qatar on Monday after a gap of nearly two months, as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continued to hamper the normal flow of oil and gas cargoes to the country.

The LNG vessel Al Areesh berthed at Pakistan GasPort Terminal at 11:30 a.m. Pakistan time on Aug. 10, officials said.

“Yes, the cargo has berthed today at our terminal, Pakistan GasPort Terminal,” an official said.

The arrival marks the first Qatari LNG cargo since June 22, while Pakistan has increasingly turned to spot-market purchases to supplement its contracted supplies amid disruptions to regular LNG flows.

Since the disruption began on April 30, Pakistan has received seven spot LNG cargoes and six cargoes under its contractual supply arrangements, including the vessel that arrived Monday, according to an official of the Ministry of Energy.

Pakistan’s procurement of spot LNG has been influenced by domestic demand and prevailing international prices. The latest spot cargo, delivered in the July 27-28 window, was purchased at USD 21.88 per million British thermal units.

Pakistan’s LNG import bill fell sharply in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, declining 36% to USD 2.221 billion from USD 3.476 billion a year earlier, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data posted July 21.

Pakistan normally imports around nine to 10 LNG cargoes a month under its long-term and other contractual arrangements. The Competition Commission has previously said Pakistan’s two Qatar contracts cover LNG at prices linked to Brent, with the first agreement signed in 2016 at 13.37% of Brent for 15 years and the second signed in 2021 at 10.2% of Brent for 10 years.

The latest arrival is therefore significant beyond the delivery of a single LNG cargo, as it restores part of Pakistan’s regular Qatar supply after an extended interruption while the country continues to rely on the spot market to bridge supply gaps.