New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The two LPG tankers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — have safely transited through the Strait of Hormuz and are on their way to India carrying approximately 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG, the government said on Saturday.

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said during a briefing here their ports of arrival will be Mundra and Kandla, with expected arrival dates of March 16 and March 17, respectively.

“Consequently, there are now 22 Indian-flagged vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers,” he said.

Among the 24 vessels, the Shivalik and Nanda Devi, safely transited the Strait. These vessels are owned by state-run Shipping Corporation of India Limited.

Sinha further said that all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf region are safe.

“No untoward incidents involving them have been reported over the last 24 hours. There were 24 Indian-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf, situated to the west of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said during the briefing.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali on Saturday said that Tehran has allowed some Indian vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz though he declined to share further operational details.

“Yes, we have allowed but let me not tell you how many. As an Ambassador of Iran to India, I will follow this issue in the future as well because Iran and India have historical relations. Of course, as an Ambassador, I have done my best. There was some delay, but it happened,” said Fathali while responding to a question on how many Indian ships have been allowed and “for how many days” at the annual India Today Conclave in Delhi.

After the safe passage of two LPG carriers, more tankers are lined up for crossing the war-affected zone after Iran granted Indian-flagged tankers safe passage from the Strait, reliable sources told IANS on Saturday.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas exports transit.

–IANS

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