A major maritime regulator said on Monday that the Indian government is considering options to escort Indian-flagged ships out of the crisis-ridden Strait of Hormuz, at a time when tensions between the US-Israeli alliance and Iran are disrupting maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important oil routes. Ships are complying with enhanced safety protocols, including frequent reporting to authorities.
PC Meena, deputy director general (crew) of the Directorate General of Shipping, who is heading the government’s core response team monitoring the situation, said all 36 Indian-flagged ships currently in and around the strait and adjacent waters are safe and have adequate provisions on board, but none of them have been able to transit the area so far.
“Discussions are underway at the highest level on various options to help them exit the region safely including the option of escorting Indian-flagged assets out of the region. Nothing has been finalized yet,” Meena said.
Iranian forces have threatened to attack oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a quarter of the world’s seaborne crude oil trade, disrupting traffic through the route.
The core group was tasked with submitting reports on the situation at three-hourly intervals along with “observable developments, condition and location of the affected seafarers,” according to the Shipping Ministry order.
“There have been no confirmed cases of casualties, detention or boarding of any Indian-flagged vessels,” a second official said, adding that monitoring and verification remain the main focus of efforts to maintain safety at sea.
A notification to the Directorate General of Shipping said mandatory safety protocols apply to Indian vessels not only in the Strait of Hormuz but also in the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Gulf and adjacent maritime areas.
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As per the protocols that came into effect around midnight on February 28-March 1, all Indian-flagged ships must conduct beaching security drills as prescribed by the International Maritime Organization. This includes direct communication between ships and the nearest port terminals as well as mock drills for threats such as piracy, unauthorized access and bomb threats.
Captains of Indian ships across the region are also required to fill online vessel reporting forms daily to the Indian Ocean Region Information Fusion Center as mandated by the latest protocols.
“This action is necessary to maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date database of vessels, which will facilitate easier tracking and coordination at the Center if the Indian Navy is required to respond to the incident,” a notification issued in 2024 during the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and reactivated in the states on March 2, said.
Moreover, if Indian merchant ships encounter an attack, they should “contact the nearest Indian Navy ship and coalition warship using VHF channel 16,” Crisis Group’s March 2 warning to shipping companies said.
