Fifteen cargo vessels that crossed the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman before the outbreak of hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran have started arriving at Bangladesh’s Chattogram Port, providing much-needed relief to industries and energy importers amid global supply uncertainties.
Port officials said 12 of the 15 ships have already docked, while the remaining three are expected later this week.
The vessels are carrying about 7,50,000 tonnes of cargo, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and clinker, a vital raw material for the cement sector.
The shipments had left the Gulf region before the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed following the US-Israel strikes on Iran on 28 February and Tehran’s retaliatory actions. The closure had threatened nearly one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies, highlighting the strait’s strategic importance.
Among the 15 vessels, four carry LNG, two are loaded with LPG, and nine are transporting clinker for local cement plants.
Port data show that two LNG carriers, Al Joor and Al Jasasiya, have already arrived from Qatar, bringing a combined 1,26,000 tonnes. Two more LNG ships, Lusail and Al Ghalayel, are scheduled to reach the port on Monday and Wednesday respectively. Together, the four ships carry approximately 2,47,000 tonnes of LNG.
Senior Deputy General Manager of Uni Global Business Limited and the local agent for the LNG carriers Mohammad Nurul Alam said the arrivals are almost certain but warned that the fully loaded LNG vessel Libertha remains stuck inside the Strait of Hormuz awaiting clearance.
He noted that future shipments could face uncertainty if Gulf tensions continue.
In the LPG segment, the vessel Seven is expected to dock on Sunday with 22,172 tonnes from Sohar port in Oman, joining the earlier shipment of 19,316 tonnes from the same port. These deliveries will supply Meghna Fresh LPG, a subsidiary of Meghna Group of Industries.
Other vessels have brought clinker, gypsum, limestone and industrial chemicals, including 5,000 tonnes of monoethylene glycol (MEG) from Kuwait’s Shuaiba port. In total, around 5,15,000 tonnes of raw materials for the cement industry have arrived from Gulf countries.
Bangladesh relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz for trade with Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. In 2024-25 fiscal year, imports through the strait totalled about $6 billion, mainly in energy products.
Industry insiders cautioned that while the current shipments provide temporary relief, prolonged instability in the Gulf could disrupt future imports, posing risks to Bangladesh’s energy security and industrial production.
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