New Delhi [India], March 29 : The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Sunday, citing the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, that two LPG carriers- BW TYR and BW ELM carrying a combined LPG cargo of about 94,000 MT have safely transited and are moving towards India shores.
Sharing the details in an official statement, it further noted that BW TYR is proceeding towards Mumbai with an expected time of arrival on March 31, and BW ELM is en route to New Mangalore with an estimated arrival date of April 1.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas further underscored that necessary measures have been instituted to ensure the safety and security of Indian vessels and seafarers operating in the region, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has informed.
As per the Ministry, all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.
It added that a total of 18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region. The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), in coordination with ship owners, RPSL agencies, and Indian Missions, is actively monitoring the situation.
As per the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the DG Shipping Control Room remains operational 24x7 and has handled 4523 calls and 8,985 emails since activation. In the past 24 hours, 92 calls and 120 emails have been received.
It further noted DG Shipping has facilitated safe repatriation of over 942 Indian seafarers so far, including 4 in the last 24 hours.
This comes as a shipment of 47,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived at the Vadinar Terminal of DPA Kandla in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Saturday.
The vessel, MT Jag Vasant, is set to transfer its cargo to another ship at anchorage through a Ship-to-Ship (STS) operation.
Indian Navy warships were on standby to provide support to the merchant vessels, sources told ANI.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most vital maritime chokepoints, handling a significant portion of global oil shipments, making its security crucial for international trade and economic stability amid the continued conflict in the region following US-Israel joint military strikes on the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Earlier, speaking at a joint inter-ministerial briefing, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Rajesh Kumar Sinha said authorities are closely monitoring the situation and maintaining coordination with various stakeholders.
On Friday, India reiterated its urgent call for the preservation of safe and uninterrupted maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasising that international law must be upheld amidst the deteriorating security situation in West Asia. The government confirmed it is maintaining a vigilant watch over regional volatilities to protect national energy interests.
During the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that New Delhi is actively coordinating with global partners to ensure stability.
"We are closely following all developments in West Asia. We continue to call for ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as a matter of priority," Jaiswal noted.