Two India-flagged tankers carrying 92,000 tonnes of LPG safely cross Strait of Hormuz – Check arrival date

Two India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers have safely exited the Strait of Hormuz and are now heading towards India. This comes after several days of diplomatic talks between New Delhi and Tehran as the war rages in West Asia. This comes after Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, on Friday (Mar 13) confirmed that Tehran will provide safe passage to vessels bound for India through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the long-standing friendship and shared interests between the two countries.

When will the vessels reach India?

The vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), passed through the narrow strategic strait with the cooperation of Iran and other regional stakeholders, NDTV reported, citing government sources. According to reports, the ships are expected to reach India within the next two days, with Mumbai or Kandla likely to be their destination.

According to News18, Nanda Devi is carrying about 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG. The second ship, Shivalik, is also transporting a large quantity of gas. The report added that both ships are being escorted by the Indian Navy to ensure their safe transit.

“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. Among these, two vessels—the Shivalik and the Nanda Devi, Indian-flagged vessels, both LPG carriers,” said ministry official Rajesh Kumar Sinha.

“They safely transited the Strait of Hormuz late last night/early this morning and are now proceeding towards India. These vessels are carrying approximately 92,700 metric tons of LPG; their ports of arrival will be Mundra and Kandla, with expected arrival dates of March 16 and March 17, respectively. Consequently, there are now 22 Indian-flagged vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers,” he added.

Series of diplomatic efforts

The significant development comes after a series of discussions between India and Iran. Four rounds of phone calls have taken place between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi since the beginning of the crisis. The talks happened on February 28, March 5, March 10 and March 12.

On Thursday (March 12) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing concerns over the escalating tensions in West Asia and the impact of conflict on civilian lives and global trade routes.

“The safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priority,” PM Modi said in a post on X following the call.

Days earlier, a crude vessel reached Mumbai Port on Thursday (Mar 12) after passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Liberian flagged tanker was captained by an Indian and became the first India-destined vessel to transit the waterway safely since the war began on February 28. The ship named Shenlong was loaded with crude oil from the Saudi port Ras Tanura.

Why is Strait of Hormuz blocked?

On February 28, the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Azerbaijan.

Amid the escalating tension in West Asia, several vessels have been targeted while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any vessel attempting to pass could be targeted and set on fire, with several oil tankers being hit in recent days. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on March 5 said that the passage is closed to vessels from the United States, Israel, Europe and their Western allies. On March 10, the IRGC said that it will grant certain countries unrestricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, but that this safe passage will be conditional. The IRGC said that only those Arab or European nations that expel Israeli and American ambassadors from their territory will be granted the right to transit through the strategic waterway, which accounts for roughly 20 per cent of the global oil supply passing through it daily.

The Strait of Hormuz is the only maritime outlet for ports located in the Persian Gulf. Its blockage has significantly affected global energy supply, triggering a sharp rise in oil prices.

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