In the wake of Shivalik’s arrival at Mundra Port the previous day, the Indian-flagged LPG tanker Nanda Devi made her way to India’s west coast on Tuesday, arriving at Vadinar Port at approximately 11:25 a.m., according to officials.
Both ships made it to India with vital LPG supplies after passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, where tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel have halted marine traffic. Due to increased security concerns, commercial vessel traffic along the waterway has decreased since late February, despite the fact that it is a critical chokepoint for energy supplies around the world.
Deendayal Port Authority officials have ordered that LPG containers be given priority when berthing in order to speed up the unloading process and ensure that the household cooking gas supply remains uninterrupted. The ministry’s directive to give preferential docking to ships carrying LPG was the basis for the orders.
After a nine-day journey, the tanker Shivalik arrived at Mundra, India, ready to discharge its cargo of around 46,000 tonnes of LPG that had been imported from Qatar. This was made possible by advance port preparations. Since a large portion of India’s energy comes from imports, officials have stated that the arrival of both ships is part of a larger effort to secure LPG supply for homes and businesses.
At the same time, another ship, Jag Laadki, is sailing to India with 81,000 metric tonnes of crude oil from the UAE. Officials have confirmed that all 611 crew members on board 22 ships flying the Indian flag are safe and that operations are proceeding as planned west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf area.
