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 Chattogram Port, carrying energy products and industrial raw materials for Bangladesh.
Port sources said the vessels had already crossed the strategic shipping route and were on their way to Bangladesh before tensions escalated on February 28.
Among the 15 vessels, four are carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), two are transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and nine are loaded with clinker used in the cement industry. Together, the ships are carrying about 750,000 tonnes of cargo.
Of these, 12 vessels have already reached Chattogram Port, while the remaining three are expected to arrive within the week.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz intensified after joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, followed by retaliatory actions by Tehran. The strait is a critical global energy corridor, handling nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments.
Bangladesh relies on the route for trade with several Gulf countries, including Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Ships travelling from the Persian Gulf pass through the Strait of Hormuz, then the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and finally the Bay of Bengal to reach Bangladesh.
According to port data, two LNG carriers—Al Zour and Al Jassasiya—have already delivered around 126,000 tonnes of LNG from Qatar to Chattogram. Two more vessels, Al Galayel and Lusail, are expected to arrive soon. Together, the four LNG carriers are transporting about 247,000 tonnes of fuel.
Officials said these ships departed from Ras Laffan Port in Qatar and crossed the Strait of Hormuz several days before the conflict began.
Md Nurul Alam, senior deputy general manager of Uni Global Business Limited, the local representative for the LNG vessels, said the arrival of the four ships at Chattogram Port is almost certain. However, another LNG carrier named Liberal is currently waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz after loading cargo, creating uncertainty about its passage.
To prevent possible supply shortages, the government has also purchased LNG from the international spot market at higher prices. Two additional LNG vessels carrying those consignments have yet to reach Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, an LPG carrier named Sevan is expected to arrive at Chattogram Port on Sunday carrying 22,172 tonnes of LPG from Sohar Port in Oman. Earlier, another tanker GYMM delivered 19,316 tonnes of LPG from the same port.
The LPG shipments are destined for Meghna Fresh LPG, a subsidiary of the Meghna Group of Industries.
In addition, the vessel Bay Yasu recently delivered 5,000 tonnes of monoethylene glycol (MEG) from Shuaiba Port in Kuwait.
Several other ships carrying clinker, gypsum, limestone and stone—key raw materials for Bangladesh’s cement industry—have also reached the port. These shipments total around 515,000 tonnes.
Trade officials said Bangladesh imported nearly $6 billion worth of goods from Gulf countries through the Strait of Hormuz in the 2024–25 fiscal year, a significant portion of which were energy products.
However, if tensions in the Strait of Hormuz continue, uncertainty may arise over the arrival of future shipments to Bangladesh.
