LNG tankers prepare Hormuz transit under US naval protection amid ship-to-ship transfers

At least 17 ship-to-ship transfers of crude and LNG were recorded on Friday, indicating efforts to mask cargo origins or consolidate loads ahead of a US-protected convoy through the Strait of Hormuz. The US naval escort signals heightened threat perception in the strait, a chokepoint for ~20% of global oil and LNG flows. The development implies elevated risk of disruption to energy transit, with market impact contingent on whether protection holds or attacks escalate.