Two Indian LPG vessels cross Strait of Hormuz safely, head to Gujarat

Indian LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi crossed the Strait of Hormuz safely and are sailing towards Mundra and Kandla ports, officials said amid tensions in the Gulf region

A senior government official on Saturday confirmed that two Indian-flagged vessels — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Gulf countries crossed the Strait of Hormuz early in the day without incident.

 

The vessels are now sailing towards Mundra and Kandla ports in Gujarat, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, said during a media briefing.

 

“All Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf region are safe, and no untoward incidents involving them have been reported over the last 24 hours. There were 24 Indian-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf, situated to the west of the Strait of Hormuz,” Sinha said.

 

 

“Among these are two vessels, the Shivalik and the Nanda Devi, which are Indian-flagged LPG carriers. They safely transited the Strait of Hormuz late last night or early this morning and are now proceeding towards India,” he added.

 

The ships are transporting about 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG and are scheduled to reach Indian ports on March 16 and March 17. Following their transit, 22 Indian-flagged vessels remain on the western side of the strait, carrying a total of 611 seafarers, Sinha said.

Hundreds of vessels stranded near Strait of Hormuz

Hundreds of commercial vessels remained stranded in the narrow maritime corridor between Iran and Oman after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, followed by retaliatory action by Tehran.

 

“Several of our ships remain on standby in the Gulf region. We propose to continue to remain in touch and coordinate with all the concerned countries to ensure safe and unimpeded transit for them in our effort to safeguard our energy security,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Authorities monitoring vessel movement

Indian maritime authorities are maintaining communication with stakeholders to monitor vessel movement and ensure crew safety.

 

Sinha said the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) is coordinating with ship owners, Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) agencies, and Indian missions abroad regarding the remaining vessels in the region.

 

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is also monitoring developments in the Persian Gulf.

 

Officials also referred to the movement of another vessel operating in the region. The ship Jag Prakash departed from Sohar port in Oman carrying gasoline and is headed to Tanga in Tanzania. The vessel is expected to reach Tanga on March 21.

Ports prioritise LPG vessels

Authorities said port operations across India remain stable despite the regional tensions.

 

Standard operating procedures have been issued to major ports and state maritime boards to prioritise vessels carrying LPG, which is facing supply pressure in the country.

 

“Six LPG carriers, which had arrived from various parts of the world and not solely from the Gulf region, were accorded priority berthing by the major ports,” Sinha said.

 

He also said six vessels arriving from different parts of the world were provided safe anchorage at Indian ports.

253 Indian seafarers repatriated so far

Sinha also provided an update on the repatriation of Indian seafarers from the Gulf region.

 

“In the last 24 hours, 30 seafarers have been brought back to India. Individuals were brought from various airports across the Gulf region and successfully repatriated to India. With this, the total number of repatriations has now reached 253,” he said.

Govt flags rise in panic LPG bookings

Officials also addressed concerns related to LPG supply during the briefing.

 

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refinery) at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said no shortages had been reported so far but noted a rise in consumer bookings.

 

“LPG remains a matter of concern for us in light of the prevailing geopolitical situation; however, no stockouts have been reported thus far. I would like to re-emphasise one specific point: instances of panic booking remain excessively high. The figure I shared with you yesterday — approximately 7.5 to 7.6 million bookings — has now risen to nearly 8.8 million,” Sharma said.

Govt says crude supply and refinery operations remain stable

Sharma also addressed the broader fuel supply situation in the country.

 

“We have a sufficient supply of crude, and our refineries are operating at full capacity. No instances of stockouts have been reported at retail outlets; ample petrol and diesel are available. We produce sufficient petrol and diesel domestically to meet our requirements; consequently, we have no need for imports,” she said.

 

She also referred to the government’s plan to move certain commercial consumers from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG) where supply disruptions arise.

 

“Wherever commercial consumers are facing difficulties or disruptions in their LPG supply, they should be transitioned to PNG connections. In furtherance of this objective, GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) held a meeting with various CGD operators and advised them to expedite the provision of PNG connections to all eligible commercial consumers wherever feasible,” she said.