LPG Tanker Shivalik Docks At Gujarat's Mundra Port Days After Crossing Strait Of Hormuz Amid Iran War

New Delhi: In a big development, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker Shivalik, belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India, docked at the Mundra port in Gujarat on Monday after safely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel’s arrival marks a successful transit through the volatile Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint currently at the centre of escalating geopolitical tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Two vessels granted transit

Notably, two Indian flagged vessels carrying LPG were granted transit through the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian authorities. One of them is the Shivalik, while the other one is the Nanda Devi.

While Shivalik reached Mundra port today,  a second tanker, the Nanda Devi, also crossed the Hormuz and is expected to dock in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Earlier, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Shipping Ministry, on Saturday informed that the vessels Shivalik and Nanda Devi are now expected on March 16 and 17.

Sinha assured the nation that all logistical hurdles have been cleared to ensure the cargo reaches consumers without delay.

"Before its arrival, documentation, priority berthing, and everything have been arranged at the port so that there is no delay in the discharge of cargo by this vessel." Sinha stated."

"Consequently, there are now 22 Indian-flagged vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers," the secretary said.

Jaishankar championed direct dialogue with Tehran

The safe passage of the India tankers came after external Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier championed direct dialogue with Tehran as the most efficient method for resuming maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, as India seeks to protect its energy security amidst intensifying Middle East tensions. 

In an interview with the Financial Times UK, the Union Minister stated that New Delhi is currently engaging with Iran to facilitate the reopening of the vital waterway, which handles nearly 20 per cent of global oil trade. 

The Minister highlighted the recent passage Shivalik and Nanda Devi, as a practical success of this diplomatic strategy. The tankers, carrying approximately 92,712 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), are currently en route to the Indian ports of Mundra and Kandla.

‘Indian vessels would be allowed’

Meanwhile, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, on Saturday reiterated that Indian vessels would be allowed to pass through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in West Asia.

Ilahi responded affirmatively saying, "Of course, of course. Yes," when asked whether Indian ships would be allowed to pass through the Strait. When asked to elaborate on the matter, Ilahi said, “I heard that our embassy tried to provide an opportunity for some Indian ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz.”

He further claimed that the Iranian leadership had been informed about expressions of sympathy from people in India and said Tehran was mindful of India's energy needs.

Strait of Hormuz blockade

The Strait of Hormuz, effectively under Iranian control, became a central flashpoint after Tehran’s informal blockade disrupted a corridor responsible for 20% of global oil and gas trade. 

In the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran’s military response against commercial tankers caused crude prices to surge, twice exceeding $100 per barrel. 

This volatility was highlighted just last week when a Thai-flagged cargo ship heading to Kandla, India, was targeted shortly after leaving a port in the UAE.