Two more Indian LPG tankers have safely crossed the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are headed for Indian ports, according to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping
& Waterways. Meanwhile, 16 other vessels are still stranded in the Persian Gulf. The maritime traffic has drastically come down in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, as Iran effectively blocked it for its "enemies" (the US and its allies), while letting the "friendly" nations pass, since the beginning of the war on February 28. LPG vessel Green Sanvi carrying 46,650 tonnes of LPG, is scheduled to reach Indian port on April 7 while Green Asha with 15,500 tonnes of cargo is scheduled to touch Indian coast on April 9, said Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways at a news briefing. "Indian maritime operations remain safe and uninterrupted amid West Asia crisis. 16 Indian-flagged vessels with 433 seafarers are in the region; two LPG carriers, Green Sanvi and Green Asha, safely crossed Strait of Hormuz," he said. Read More - India’s Ships Keep Sailing Through Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran War | Check Full List
With this, eight Indian-flagged LPG tankers have safely transited through the strategic waterway, which has remained effectively shut since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's sweeping retaliation.
Is Iran Charging Toll From Ships Crossing Hormuz?
Asked about reports of Iran charging a fee for letting ships cross the strait, Mangal said, "we have no information of such payments." Iran had earlier said that its "Indian friends" don't need "to worry" about the Strait of Hormuz.
India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had earlier said that there was no "blanket arrangement" for Indian-flagged ships and that Iran had not received anything in exchange.
Earlier today, US President Donald Trump said that the US could charge for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran war. "What about us charging tolls? I’d rather do that than let them have them. Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner. We won," Trump said, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
16 Indian Vessel Stranded in Persian Gulf
Of the vessels still stuck in the Persian Gulf, one is of a loaded liquefied natural gas (LNG), two are LPG tankers (one loaded and one empty), six are crude carriers (five loaded, one empty), three are container ships, one is a dredger, one is carrying chemical cargo and two are bulk carriers, the official said.
Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke. Of these, 24 were on the West side of the strait and four on the East side. Eight vessels from the west side and two from east have managed to sail to safety.
(With PTI Inputs)
