Two Indian Gas Tankers Sail Through Hormuz Blockade
Two Indian tankers carrying 92,000 tonnes of gas crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Most shipping remains stalled as traffic has dropped by 95 percent.
Two tankers carrying Dorian LPG Ltd. destined for India successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking a rare transit through a waterway that remains largely blocked to international shipping. The Pine Gas and the Jag Vasant, both Indian-flagged vessels, carried more than 92,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas loaded at ports in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The movement occurs as hundreds of other vessels and approximately 20,000 seafarers remain stranded within the Gulf. Traffic through the strait, which typically accounts for 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, has dropped by an estimated 95% since Iran threatened to attack ships attempting to exit the region. The Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways confirmed that the two tankers are expected to reach domestic ports between March 26 and March 28. Government sources indicated that the Indian Navy provided instructions for the vessels to cross the strait by hugging the Iranian coastline. This maneuver follows a separate successful transit on March 21 by a tanker carrying oil products bound for the same destination. The current maritime paralysis is a direct consequence of the war involving the United States and Israel against Iranian interests, which began on February 28. While international traffic is stalled, shipping through Iranian ports appears to continue without significant hindrance. Analysis from advocacy groups indicates that at least 14 Iranian-flagged tankers have reached waters near Singapore with oil cargoes since the conflict started. > "Iranian oil flows are business as usual." UANI senior advisor Charlie Brown noted that shipments were only briefly paused at the onset of hostilities. In a notable development for humanitarian trade, a dry bulk vessel operated by Greece arrived at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini on Sunday. The ship, which originated from Canada, is the first Western-linked grain carrier known to have docked in the country since the end of February. Member nations of the United Nations shipping agency agreed last week to pursue the creation of a safe maritime corridor to evacuate commercial ships and protect stranded crews. However, shipbroker Clarksons noted on Monday that crude tanker markets remain heavily distorted three weeks into the shutdown of the Hormuz passage.
