Tensions in West Asia haven’t halted India’s energy imports. The LPG carrier Shivalik, sailing from Qatar, made history by becoming the first such vessel to reach Mundra Port in Gujarat since the flare-up. Docking Monday at 5 PM, it brings relief to a watchful nation.
Loaded with 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG—enough to fill 3.2 million domestic cylinders—the ship’s journey was no small feat. It traversed the volatile Strait of Hormuz on March 14, a chokepoint critical for global energy flows now under threat.
The Shipping Ministry had pre-emptively shared tracking details with the press, reflecting transparency in operations. In a briefing, Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha detailed the safe passage and affirmed the security of Indian mariners.
‘Contact with every ship and crew is intact. Over the past day, no untoward events,’ Sinha noted. Currently, 22 Indian ships with 611 sailors operate in the western Hormuz area, all accounted for.
Adding to the positive news, the crude oil tanker Jag Ladki, with 81,000 tonnes from UAE’s Murban fields, is en route and due tomorrow at Mundra. Its crew remains secure.
As Middle East strife persists, Shivalik’s arrival signals India’s strategic depth in energy security. With robust oversight, the nation gears up to mitigate any disruptions, ensuring steady supplies for households and industries alike.