After passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the LPG tanker Shivalik arrived at Mundra port in Gujarat on Monday amid the country’s cooking gas shortage triggered by the Middle East conflict.
Iranian authorities have allowed two Indian-flagged ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas to pass through the strategic waterway. Along with the Shivalik, the next vessel to be cleared for passage was the Nanda Devi.
Earlier, Transport Ministry Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha said on Saturday that the Shivalik and Nanda Devi ships are expected to arrive on March 16 and March 17 respectively.
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The secretary said that all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf region are safe and that no unusual incidents involving them have been reported in the last 24 hours. According to ANI. he noted, “There were 24 Indian-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf, located west of the Strait of Hormuz. Among them, two vessels – Shivalik and Nanda Devi, Indian-flagged vessels, both carrying LPG.”
He added that both ships had safely crossed the strategic waterway the previous night or early morning and were now heading towards India. According to him, the vessels were carrying about 92,700 metric tons of LPG. “Their ports of arrival will be Mundra and Kandla with an estimated arrival date of March 16 and 17,” he said.
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The secretary further said that after their transit, 22 Indian-flagged vessels with a total crew of 611 sailors remained in the Persian Gulf.
Jaishankar says it is better for India to ‘consider and coordinate’ with Tehran
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stressed that a direct link with Tehran is the most effective way to restore maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as India works to ensure its energy security.
In an interview with the Financial Times (UK), the Union minister said that Delhi is actively negotiating with Iran to help reopen a key shipping route that accounts for nearly 20 percent of global oil trade.
He added that the talks were already showing positive results, indicating that India believed it was more productive to “deliberate and coordinate” with Tehran than adopt a policy of withdrawal.
“Obviously, from India’s point of view, it is better that we think and coordinate and get a solution than not. While this is a welcome development, the conversation continues because we are continuing to do so,” Jaishankar said.
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Meanwhile, India has temporarily returned kerosene for domestic use and allowed hotels and restaurants to switch to coal and other alternative fuels as a deepening crisis in West Asia disrupts the country’s energy supply chains, PTI reports.
The decision follows the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Authorities have directed environmental regulators to grant a one-month permit to use biomass, Refuse Fuel Pellets (RDF) and coal as alternative energy sources for hospitality establishments.
In addition, oil companies have been instructed to set aside 20% of the average monthly commercial LPG requirement to ensure essential businesses continue to receive fuel supplies.
