One more Indian vessel with LPG crosses Strait of Hormuz
Carrying 20,400 MT of LPG, the vessel is expected to reach Mumbai on April 15
New Delhi, Apr 11: There is some more good news for the citizens of India in respect of the LPG.
One more vessel, carrying 20,400 MT of LPG, has crossed the Strait of Hormuz and is expected to reach Mumbai on April 15, according to the Petroleum Ministry.
The India-flagged vessel ‘Jag Vikram’ has 24 seafarers on board.
Ship tracking data showed the tanker moved through the strategic waterway between last night and this morning and was located in the Gulf of Oman, east of the Strait this afternoon, proceeding eastwards.
Jag Vikram is the ninth Indian vessel to cross the Strait of Hormuz since March.
At least 15 India-flagged ships remain in the region, awaiting passage.
Owned by Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, Jag Vikram is a mid-sized gas carrier with a deadweight capacity of over 26,000 tonnes.
Vessels in West Asia
When the war in West Asia started on February 28, at least 28 India-flagged vessels were in the region, including 24 on the western side and four on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz.
Prior to Jag Vikram’s transit, eight vessels from the western side and two from the eastern side had managed to sail to safety.
Several foreign-flagged ships carrying India-bound cargo also remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.
According to MarineTraffic data, hundreds of vessels remain in the region, including 426 tankers, 34 LPG carriers and 19 LNG vessels, many of which had been effectively stranded amid the disruption.
The government statement said that port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported.
“The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions, and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations,” it added.
Indian imports of Oil
India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer and fourth-largest gas user, imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, around half of its natural gas needs and nearly 60 per cent of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) requirement, underscoring its dependence on overseas supplies.
More than half of crude imports, about 40 per cent of gas and up to 85-90 per cent of LPG shipments come from Gulf countries and pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor that was shut during the West Asia conflict.
The United States and Iran earlier this week agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait for shipping. India curtailed LPG supplies to commercial users such as hotels and restaurants after disruptions to Gulf energy flows, before restoring about 70 per cent of pre-crisis volumes as alternative supplies were secured.
The Ministry stated that all necessary measures have been put in place to safeguard Indian vessels and seafarers operating in the region, by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways It also added that all Indian seafarers in the region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours. (BVI)
