Key facts
- Pakistan LNG Limited's tender seeks two cargoes on a delivered ex-ship basis at Port Qasim, per Business Recorder.
- Delivery windows are December 14 to 16 and January 9 to 11, 2027, the tender notice said.
- Pakistan rejected earlier bids quoting $27 to $31 per MMBtu, prompting the re-issue.
- Pakistan must buy an additional 10 spot cargoes for November 2026 to February 2027 at double the Qatari term price, per the report.
- Only some Qatari cargoes have reached Pakistan after Iran assured safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the report said.
Pakistan LNG Limited, a state-owned company, issued a tender to buy two LNG cargoes from international suppliers, Business Recorder reported, citing the tender notice. Bidders would deliver on a delivered ex-ship basis at Port Qasim, one cargo in the December 14 to 16 window and the other between January 9 and 11, 2027.
The tender re-issues an earlier one in which Pakistan rejected bids from two suppliers who quoted between $27 and $31 per million British thermal units.
Pakistan relied mostly on Qatari term supply before the Iran war and has since turned to spot purchases, which have raised its power generation costs, according to the report. Some, but not all, Qatari cargoes have reached Pakistan in recent months after Iran gave Pakistan direct assurances that vessels could transit the Strait of Hormuz safely.
Term volumes from Qatar are cheaper than spot cargoes, for which Asian and European buyers compete ahead of winter. Qatar declared force majeure on its exports in March after Iranian strikes damaged the Ras Laffan LNG export hub, leaving Pakistan to pay premiums for occasional spot shipments.
Business Recorder reported that Pakistan will have to pay more than $1 billion to secure LNG for the winter months and must buy an additional 10 spot cargoes for delivery between November 2026 and February 2027 at double the Qatari term price.