State-owned QatarEnergy has extended force majeure notices and will not be able to deliver liquefied natural gas cargoes to Italian utility Edison and several Asian customers as maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz persist, according to company statements and trading sources.
Edison, an Italian subsidiary of France's EDF and one of QatarEnergy's primary European buyers, announced that deliveries would remain suspended until early December. The extension adds six cancelled shipments to Edison's schedule, bringing the utility's total undelivered cargoes under the contract to 35, of which 23 have been replaced mainly through US suppliers.
Trading sources familiar with the matter confirmed that buyers in Asia, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, were formally notified that LNG cargo cancellations would continue through November. At least one Indian importer was also informed that the delivery suspensions remain active.
According to maritime intelligence firm ICIS, Qatar exported 18 LNG cargoes from January through the end of August 2026, down sharply from 509 shipments during the corresponding period the previous year, reflecting a severe contraction in export volumes as navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained.
Sources
- Gulf Business · 2026-09-29
