Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers are preparing to sail through the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days after a pause in voyages, while no crude oil tankers have transited the waterway in the past 24 hours, according to Reuters.
Hundreds of vessels remain at anchor after Tehran warned it could target ships attempting to leave the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries around 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Data from Kpler and ship-tracking sources show the two LPG tankers are currently anchored in Gulf waters. Separate Kpler data indicate that, based on available information, no crude tankers have crossed the strait in the past day. One empty crude tanker, under US sanctions, turned back towards Iranian waters on 18 March.
Indian vessels signal readiness to sail
The Indian-flagged LPG tankers Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, anchored near Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, have signalled preparations for a voyage, according to MarineTraffic data.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said immediate details were not available when asked whether the vessels were preparing to depart.
A trade source familiar with the matter said the two tankers could potentially set sail on Saturday.
India seeks safe passage for fleet
The Ministry of External Affairs said it supports the safe movement of its vessels in the region. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the country was “in favour of safe and unhindered movement” of its fleet of 22 ships currently in the Gulf, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in discussions with other leaders regarding their passage.
BPCL charters the Jag Vasant, while IOC charters Pine Gas. Neither company responded to requests for comment.
Last week, Iran allowed two Indian-flagged LPG carriers to pass through the strait, according to sources. Recent ship-tracking data also showed a Pakistan-bound oil tanker transiting Hormuz, suggesting some countries continue to secure passage for vessels despite tensions linked to the US–Israeli conflict with Iran.
