New Delhi, March 12 According to vessel tracking data and industry sources, a foreign-flagged vessel carrying oil for India has successfully crossed the war-affected Strait of Hormuz to reach Mumbai, while another large ship is likely to reach Indian ports in a day or two.
The Liberia-flagged Shenlong, carrying approximately 1 million barrels of Saudi Arabian crude oil, arrived at Mumbai port on Wednesday evening. The other tanker – an Indian-flagged VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) – with around 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, has also reached Indian waters and is heading towards Paradip in Odisha.
The Shenlong, a Suezmax tanker, began loading crude oil from Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura port on March 1, a day after the West Asia conflict began with the US and Israel attacking Iran.
The tanker sailed from the port on March 3, coinciding with the widening of the conflict, including retaliatory attacks by Tehran on US bases in neighboring countries and Israel, as well as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow sea route connects Iran and Oman, through which approximately 20% of global oil and more than half of India's oil imports are shipped from producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
The vessel carrying 1,35,335 tonnes (approximately 1 million barrels) of crude transmitted its last signal in the Strait on March 9 before its Automatic Identification System (AIS) was switched off, according to the tracking data.
This was likely the most critical part of the strait where the vessel was transiting.
The vessel reappeared on the tracking system a day later, arriving at Mumbai port on Wednesday.
Industry sources indicate that the ship has started discharging its oil.
The other tanker has also reached Indian waters and is en route to Paradip, where the Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) refinery is located.
Tankers' movement through the Strait has been effectively halted due to the West Asia conflict. Some reports suggest that Iran is only allowing its own oil tankers, destined for China, to cross the Strait.
New Delhi has been engaged with Iranian authorities to ensure the safety of shipping and energy supplies. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Iran may have agreed to allow Indian-flagged vessels to cross.
During the daily inter-ministerial briefing on the West Asia crisis affecting India's fuel supplies, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal declined to comment on whether the reports were accurate or false.
India's "External Affairs Minister and the Iranian Foreign Minister have had three conversations in recent days. In the last one, they discussed issues related to the safety of shipping and India's energy security. Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything," he said.
India, the world's third-largest crude importer, sources 88% of its oil needs from abroad. It consumes 5.8 million barrels per day, of which 2.5-2.7 million barrels come from West Asian countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait also carries 55% of India's cooking gas (LPG) and 30% of liquefied natural gas (LNG), used for power generation, fertilizers, CNG, and household cooking.
The conflict has largely halted shipments through the Strait, forcing India to seek alternative crude sources from Russia. LPG and LNG supplies remain constrained.
The impassable Strait of Hormuz has created shortages that are impacting various commercial establishments, from restaurants and crematoriums to ceramic units, fertilizer plants, and even a canteen in the Delhi High Court.
In response, the government has prioritized household cooking and transport fuels, directing refineries to maximize LPG output by cutting petrochemical feedstock streams and barring units, including Reliance Industries Ltd.'s export-oriented plants, from using LPG as feedstock.
Industrial LNG and LPG deliveries have been curtailed to protect over 33 crore households, which account for roughly 86% of LPG consumption.
To manage demand, cooking gas prices were raised for the first time in 11 months, and the minimum interval between subsidised refills was extended from 21 to 25 days for urban users and 45 days for rural consumers.
The opening of the Strait will provide relief to India in sourcing energy supplies.
During the briefing, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, said that 28 Indian vessels were affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 24 of them, with 677 seafarers on board, are on the west side of the strait, and four with 101 seafarers are on the east side.
"All Indian vessels and crew are being actively monitored for their safety," he said.
Asked about India-bound vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, he said, "I do not have any authentic information".
