'Baseless': Shipping Ministry Rubbishes Reports of 450 Containers Lying On the Road at Jawaharlal Nehru Port

New Delhi: The Shipping Ministry has dismissed reports of 450 containers lying on the road at Jawaharlal Nehru Port calling them "baseless".

The escalating Iran-Israel war, now in its third week with direct U.S. involvement, continues to disrupt maritime traffic in the Middle East, particularly through the critical Strait of Hormuz chokepoint. Amid Iranian missile barrages targeting Israel, Israeli and U.S. strikes deep into Iranian territory, including recent claims of eliminating high-ranking officials like Ali Larijani, Iran's top security chief, and the head of the Basij paramilitary force, and reports of Iran targeting ships in retaliation, commercial shipping faces heightened risks, with some vessels stranded or delayed in the Persian Gulf region.

In this tense environment, concerns have risen over Indian-flagged vessels and seafarers operating in the Gulf. The Indian government has moved to address public apprehensions, with Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, providing a reassuring update from Delhi.

"All our sailors and ships are safe in the Gulf region," Sinha stated.

"In the last 24 hours, 161 Indian sailors have been repatriated and brought back to India after signing off in the Gulf region. This work was done in coordination with our embassies and missions," he said.

He highlighted progress on key cargo movements: "The second LPG carrier, Nanda Devi, reached Kandla at around 2:30 am today, and now cargo is being discharged from both the LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi. There are multiple discharges. The discharge of Nanda Devi is ship-to-ship, from mother ship to daughter ship. It is currently underway. All efforts have been made to streamline vessel movement and cargo operations at the port."

Sinha also debunked circulating misinformation about domestic port disruptions: "There was a news report this morning that around 450 containers are lying on the road at Jawaharlal Nehru port. Let me clarify that this report is baseless. The containers are in the CFS, Container Freight Stations, in the warehouse and in the factory premises, which is as per the policy of JNPA."

Officials indicate that while several Indian-flagged vessels, previously reported in higher numbers, remain west of the Strait of Hormuz, successful transits by carriers like Shivalik and Nanda Devi demonstrate coordinated efforts to ensure safe passage and prioritize essential energy imports like LPG. The government continues close monitoring through diplomatic channels and the Directorate General of Shipping to safeguard Indian crews and assets amid the ongoing regional conflict.