French tanker passes Hormuz Strait after war deal: tracker

Published June 18, 2026 Updated June 18, 2026 04:32pm

A French-flagged liquified natural gas (LNG) has left the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports citing a tracking platform, as an agreement to end the US-Iran war paved the way for the key passage’s reopening.

The LNG vessel, the Mraikh, owned by the Nantes-based subsidiary of Norwegian company Knutsen OAS Shipping, is the first such French vessel to make the journey since the start of the Iran conflict on February 28.

It is carrying 76,535 tonnes of LNG, which it loaded in Ras Laffan, Qatar, and is bound for Karachi’s Port Qasim, according to the MarineTraffic platform operated by data firm Kpler, which tracks cargo ships.

The carrier began moving on Wednesday around 2000 GMT local time, according to the ship’s AIS transponder signal published on MarineTraffic.

 A screenshot from MarineTraffic showing the location of the Mraikh LNG tanker having crossed the Strait of Hormuz. — Screengrab via MarineTraffic
A screenshot from MarineTraffic showing the location of the Mraikh LNG tanker having crossed the Strait of Hormuz. — Screengrab via MarineTraffic

Opinion

Editorial

Words that wound
Updated 18 Jun, 2026

Words that wound

Hate speech rarely begins with physical attacks.
‘New urban province’
18 Jun, 2026

‘New urban province’

CONSIDERING the advance state of urban decay that affects Karachi, voices are often raised calling for the megacity,...
Punjab budget: mixed bag
18 Jun, 2026

Punjab budget: mixed bag

PUNJAB’S budget for FY27 is a mix of good and bad political choices, with a cash-strapped centre tightening the...
Spoiler alert
17 Jun, 2026

Spoiler alert

AFTER the temporary peace deal between the US and Iran is physically signed in Geneva on Friday, an arduous process...
Storm-tested cities
17 Jun, 2026

Storm-tested cities

THE deaths caused by the latest spell of monsoon rains in KP and Punjab illustrate how quickly severe weather can...
Chakwal tragedy
17 Jun, 2026

Chakwal tragedy

A NINE-year-old girl is dead because a Punjab Crime Control Department gunman mistook her family’s car for a...