Hormuz reopening unlikely to quickly unwind LNG supply backlog: lawyers in Freight News 28/05/2026 Middle East LNG exporters could spend years resolving contractual disputes and restoring missed deliveries after LNG tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz resumes, with a backlog of claims potentially affecting cargo programming well into 2027, contract lawyers have told Platts. “A key question remains whether base volumes are restored first, or whether deferred and make-up volumes take priority,” said Max Rockall, partner at Squire Patton Boggs, in an interview with Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. “There will be a backlog to deal with, including possible contested force majeure claims, rescheduling, restoration, and future cargo programming.” How deliveries are prioritized will depend on the wording of individual contracts, he added, noting that priority would likely be given to annual volume commitments under long-term contracts. The comments come as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz approaches three months, constraining roughly 20% of global LNG supply. “Most LNG SPAs contain an ‘attribution’ clause prioritizing base contractual volumes (the annual contract quantity), followed by make-up volumes, force majeure restoration volumes, and upward flexibility volumes, usually in that order,” Patricia Tiller, partner at Bracewell LLP in Dubai, told Platts via email. Since the Middle East conflict began, LNG supply losses from the UAE and Qatar have averaged about 90 cargoes a month, or about 6.4 million-8.2 million metric tons/month, bringing total lost volumes to date to roughly 20 million mt, S&P Global CERA data showed as of May 21. This compares with about 89 million mt of exports through the strait in 2025. QatarEnergy declared force majeure on LNG supplies to affected buyers on March 4, after halting production at its Qatar export facility on March 2. Two liquefaction trains at the export facility were damaged and have previously been reported as r