New Delhi, March 17 – The Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, which departed from Qatar carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is expected to arrive at Kandla Port in Gujarat on Tuesday, coming from the Strait of Hormuz.
Another LPG tanker, 'Shivalik', had already reached Mundra Port a day earlier, carrying around 45-46 thousand tonnes of LPG.
The safe arrival of the vessel is expected to provide relief amid concerns regarding fuel shipments passing through the sensitive maritime route.
Earlier, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, stated during an inter-ministerial briefing that the tanker had successfully entered the open sea after transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
He noted that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, were carrying approximately 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG to India. Both ships are owned by the state-run Shipping Corporation of India.
Sinha also said that all Indian seafarers operating in the Persian Gulf region are safe, and there have been no reports of any incidents involving them.
According to government data, there were 22 Indian-flagged vessels located to the west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf region, carrying a total of 611 seafarers.
While Nanda Devi will arrive at Kandla Port in Gujarat, the Jag Laadki, carrying nearly 81,000 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, is en route to Mundra Port. The vessel and all Indian seafarers onboard are safe.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most crucial shipping routes, with nearly 20 per cent of global oil and gas exports passing through it.
With continued tensions in the region, authorities are closely monitoring the movement of ships and ensuring the safety of Indian vessels and crew operating in the area.
"Major ports across the country are closely monitoring vessel movements and cargo operations and providing support to shipping lines and cargo stakeholders, including concessions in anchorage, berth hire and storage charges," the ministry said in a previous briefing.