New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The Indian-flagged LPG tanker Shivalik, which departed from Qatar carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), safely arrived from the Strait of Hormuz at Mundra Port in Gujarat on Monday.

The vessel carried around 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG and its safe arrival is expected to provide relief amid concerns over fuel shipments passing through the sensitive maritime route.

Earlier, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said during an inter-ministerial briefing that the tanker had successfully moved into the open sea after transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

He noted that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — were carrying around 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG to India. The two ships are owned by the state-run Shipping Corporation of India.

While Shivalik arrived at Mundra Port at 5 p.m., the other tanker, Nanda Devi, is expected to reach Kandla Port in Gujarat early tomorrow morning.

Sinha also said that all Indian seafarers operating in the Persian Gulf region are safe and there have been no reports of any untoward incidents involving them.

As per government data, there were 22 Indian-flagged vessels located to the west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf region, carrying a total of 611 seafarers.

While Nanda Devi will arrive at Gujarat’s Kandla port, Jag Laadki carrying nearly 81,000 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE is en route to Mundra port. The vessel and all Indian seafarers onboard are safe.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most crucial shipping routes, with nearly 20 per cent of global oil and gas exports passing through it.

With tensions continuing in the region, authorities are closely monitoring the movement of ships and ensuring the safety of Indian vessels and crew operating in the area.

“Major ports across the country are closely monitoring vessel movements and cargo operations and providing support to shipping lines and cargo stakeholders, including concessions in anchorage, berth hire and storage charges,” the ministry said in earlier briefing.

–IANS

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