New Delhi, March 18: Nearly 3 lakh metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently stranded at the Strait of Hormuz as multiple vessels face movement restrictions amid heightened regional tensions, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said six ships carrying LPG are currently stuck in the strategic maritime corridor, with each vessel transporting roughly 45,000 metric tonnes of fuel. The stalled shipments together account for about 3 lakh metric tonnes of LPG awaiting transit.
The Strait of Hormuz — a key energy shipping route linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea — handles a significant share of global oil and gas shipments, making disruptions in the passage critical for international energy supply chains.
Despite the challenges, Indian LPG shipments continue to arrive. The Indian-flagged tanker Nanda Devi recently docked at Vadinar Port, a day after the tanker Shivalik arrived at Mundra Port carrying about 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG. Of the cargo, around 20,000 tonnes will be discharged at Mundra while the remaining 26,000 tonnes will be transported to New Mangalore Port.
Both vessels navigated the volatile shipping corridor amid tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Meanwhile, another vessel, Jag Laadki, carrying nearly 81,000 tonnes of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, is currently en route to India.
