Adnoc Logistics & Services' Al Hamra tanker became the first LNG carrier to reach India from the Persian Gulf since hostilities erupted months ago, according to ship-tracking data. The vessel loaded cargo at ADNOC's Das Island facility before traveling dark through the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a potential shift in regional energy flows.

The tanker ceased transmitting signals around April 19 while idling near Hormuz's eastern entrance, then loaded its cargo during this silent period. Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. has similarly dispatched cargoes to Japan and China using the same evasive routing, as vessels avoid detection amid ongoing security threats in the waterway.

India's LNG imports from Qatar and the UAE have virtually stopped since the conflict began, forcing buyers onto the spot market at premium prices. Last year, these two suppliers provided over half of India's LNG needs, but volumes have collapsed alongside the broader disruption to Hormuz traffic, which handles roughly 20% of global LNG supply.

Despite this breakthrough delivery, the route remains highly constrained compared to pre-war levels when three tankers typically transited daily. Persian Gulf exporters are testing limited pathways to maintain customer relationships, but volumes remain a fraction of normal flows, leaving energy markets in a fragile rebalancing act.