New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) The Government on Saturday said, in a routine briefing, that the India-flagged LPG vessel Jag Vikram has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, even as authorities continue to closely monitor maritime operations amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region.

The vessel — carrying around 20,400 metric tonnes of LPG with 24 seafarers onboard — is expected to reach Mumbai on April 15, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.

Reassuring the safety of Indian maritime assets, the government said all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.

It further added that necessary measures have been put in place to safeguard Indian vessels and seafarers operating in the region, with continuous monitoring through a 24×7 Shipping Control Room.

The control room has handled 5,973 calls and over 12,675 emails since its activation, including 128 calls and 319 emails in the last 24 hours.

Through the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), the government has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 2,009 Indian seafarers so far, including 81 in the past 24 hours from various locations across the Gulf region.

Port operations across the country remain normal, with no congestion reported, it said.

Coordination is ongoing with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted operations, according to the government.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indian missions across the Gulf and West Asia region remain in close contact with the Indian community and are providing assistance and issuing advisories for their safety.

The Government is closely monitoring developments in the region and is in regular contact with state governments and Union Territories to ensure effective coordination, the MEA said.

–IANS

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