At least 20 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers—roughly half of the vessels currently available for charter—are reportedly trapped in the Persian Gulf amid escalating regional conflict, tightening global LNG shipping capacity and driving freight rates sharply higher. According to ship brokers cited by The Wall Street Journal, daily charter rates for LNG carriers have surged to more than $200,000 per day from under $98,000 before the conflict began. The disruption is occurring just as demand from Asia rises, contributing to a roughly 40% increase in LNG prices across Asian and European markets this week. Industry executives, including GasLog COO Kostas Karathanos, warn that the impact on LNG shipping and pricing could persist for months even if the conflict ends quickly, as vessel positioning, insurance constraints, and delayed cargo movements continue to affect the market.
LNG Shipping Disruption Sends Charter Rates Soaring as Gulf Conflict Traps Carriers
