HPCL issues rare tender seeking LPG tanker to load from Russian port

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited seeks LPG cargo from Russia as Hormuz disruption deepens supply crisis, forcing India to diversify sourcing beyond the Middle East

India's state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corp has issued ​a rare tender seeking a liquefied ​petroleum gas tanker to immediately load propane ‌and butane from Russia's Ust-Luga port, a tender document seen by Reuters on Monday showed.

The vessel, to be loaded with 12,000 metric tons of butane and 8,000 tons of propane for discharge on India's west coast, must not be under sanctions and must have no links to Iran, ‌the document said.

HPCL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Indian state refiners are seeking to buy LPG, used as cooking gas, from more diversified sources including Russia as India faces its worst LPG supply ​crisis in decades.

 

Supplies from the Middle East have been disrupted by ‌the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S.-Israeli war on ​Iran ‌https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/.

Indian nL1N4000IN authorities have previously said they are purchasing ‌LPG from countries including the U.S., Norway, Canada, and Russia.

India consumed 33.15 million tons ‌of LPG ​last year, ​with imports accounting for about 60% of demand. About 90% of those imports came ‌from ​the Middle East.