- Two Indian-flagged LPG vessels Jag Vasant and Pine Gas transit Strait of Hormuz
- The tankers carry 92,612 tonnes of LPG and are likely to reach Indian ports by March 26-28
- Both ships sailed between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands to signal identity to Iranian authorities
Another set of two Indian-flagged vessels carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have transited through the Strait of Hormuz, ship tracking data show, and are being escorted by Indian navy warships.
The Jag Vasant and the Pine Gas, sailing close to each other, are now in the Gulf of Oman.
The two ships are carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, said Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, at a news briefing.
Both the LPG tankers sailed through waters between Iran's Larak and Qeshm islands -- possibly to make their identity clear to Iranian authorities before they cross the strait, ship tracking data showed.
The Jag Vasant, carrying 47,600 MT LPG, will arrive at the Kandla port on March 26, while the Pine Gas, carrying 45,000 MT LPG, will arrive at New Mangalore Port on the morning on March 27. The vessels have 33 and 27 Indian seafarers onboard, according to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The two ships were among the 22 Indian flagged vessels that were stranded in the Persian Gulf after the war in West Asia nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that connects oil and gas producers in the Persian Gulf with the wider world, since US and Israeli strikes began at the end of February.
Since then, Tehran has all but halted traffic with ship attacks and threats.
Earlier, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, carrying about 92,712 tonnes of LPG or roughly a day's cooking gas consumption of the country, had safely reached the Indian shore.
Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke out following US-Israel attacks on Iran. Of these, 24 were on the West side of the Strait and four on the East side. In the last few days, two vessels from each side have managed to sail to safety.
Once Pine Gas and Jag Vasant make their successful navigation, the number of vessels on the west side will be reduced to 20, including 5 LPG carriers.
LPG carrier Shivalik reached Mundra in Gujarat on March 16, while another LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, reached Kandla port in Gujarat the next day.
Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki, with 80,886 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, reached Mundra on March 18. Another tanker, Jag Prakash, carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, had previously safely crossed the strait and is en route to Tanzania.
Overall, close to 500 tanker vessels remain confined within the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. These include 108 crude oil tankers, 166 oil product tankers, 104 chemical/product tankers, 52 chemical tankers and 53 other tanker types.
India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas, and 60 per cent of LPG. Before the war broke out, more than half of the crude oil that India imported came from countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the UAE, which use the strait for shipping.
As much as 85-95 per cent of LPG and 30 per cent of the gas came through the strait.
