Another Indian-flagged LPG tanker, the Green Sanvi has successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, marking the seventh domestic vessel to safely clear the high-risk maritime chokepoint since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict. According to the latest ship-tracking data, the tanker utilised a specifically designated corridor through Iranian territorial waters to complete its transit through the strategically sensitive waterway.
It is notable that all seven of the India-flagged merchant ships to have braved the Strait since the start of the war have been LPG carriers, highlighting the critical nature of these fuel shipments. With the Green Sanvi successful passage, the tally of Indian vessels currently positioned in the Persian Gulf stands at 17.
However, the rest of the ships that are under the flag of India are a chemical products tanker, three container ships, and two bulk carriers. Two more ships have been taken out of service for repair. Although one such transit provides relief to India in terms of energy, it is quite evident from the number of ships that are still functioning in this area that it poses a real problem for the Indian Navy.
The move follows the successful arrival of two other tankers, Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, which delivered nearly 93,000 tonnes of LPG to Kandla and New Mangalore respectively over the past week. However, the situation remains precarious; two further vessels, Green Asha and Jag Vikram, are currently idling as they wait for the Indian Navy to give the green light for their own transit.
The shipping directorate’s latest report paints a sobering picture of the scale of the disruption. Seventeen Indian-linked vessels remain effectively stranded in the Persian Gulf, west of the Strait, with several others scattered across the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea. Five of these belong to the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India. While the LPG carrier BW TYR has reached Mumbai and is currently offloading its cargo via ship-to-ship transfer, others, like the BW ELM, have had to be diverted to Ennore port to avoid bottlenecking.
Beyond the cargo, the human cost is substantial. There are estimated to be around 20,500 Indian seafarers who are at present operating in the larger Gulf area, with 504 being employed by Indian registered ships. Although ship owners have managed to evacuate 1,130 seafarers up till now, there are many other seafarers stranded in this war-torn area. There are reports that naval authorities are making extra efforts to help in facilitating the safe departure of all ships that are stranded in this area.
Also read: India only nation to lose mariners in Hormuz crisis: Govt
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