The Al Ghariya, Al Huwaila and Al Nuaman had loaded at Ras Laffan in Qatar and were supposed to head to the Suez Canal but stopped off the coast of Oman on Jan 14, according to LSEG shiptracking data. The Al Rekayyat stopped along its route on Jan 13 in the Red Sea.

“It is a pause to get security advice, if passing (through the) Red Sea remains unsafe we will go via the Cape,” said a source with direct knowledge of the matter, referring to the Cape of Good Hope.

“It is not a halt of production,” said the source.

There was no immediate confirmation or comment from the Qatari government’s International Media Office or QatarEnergy.

Vessels avoiding the Suez Canal have to go around the African continent past the Cape of Good Hope.

US and British forces carried out air and sea strikes on Yemen last week in response to the Yemeni Houthi militia’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a vital shipping lane for global trade.

Oil prices climbed 1% on Friday following the strikes but held steady on Monday as investors watched out for any oil or gas supply disruption in the Middle East.