As the conflict in West Asia continues to disrupt energy supply chains, an LPG vessel arrived at the new Mangalore port on Wednesday evening amid growing concerns over energy supplies.
The ship, named Apollo Ocean, arrived at port around 8pm on Wednesday, with unloading operations beginning the same night. The vessel carried a large cargo of 16,000 metric tons of LPG, which helped stabilize local availability, according to a report by Newsonair.
Redirecting the view increases the complexity
The arrival comes after a change in previous plans regarding another cargo ship. The Shivalik ship, which arrived in India earlier from the Strait of Hormuz, was initially expected to deliver part of its LPG cargo directly to Mangaluru. Instead, it unloaded its entire cargo at a port in Gujarat.
From there, the fuel was redirected and transported via Apollo Ocean to Karnataka.
Read also | IIndian LPG tanker Shivalik arrives at Mundra port in Gujarat amid Hormuz chaos
Earlier, two Indian-flagged ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas crossed the Strait of Hormuz and arrived in India safely.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the ongoing conflict in West Asia has sparked a serious global energy crisis and disrupted major trade routes, with direct implications for the Indian economy and supply chains.
Speaking in the Senate, Prime Minister Modi said the crisis has affected the movement of goods and led to uncertainty in supplies of essential commodities like petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers.
Read also | PM Modi points to global energy shock and shipping disruptions amid conflict in West Asia
“This situation also worries India,” he said, noting that the war has already begun to affect commercial shipping lanes.
Prime Minister Modi described any attempt by Iran to block maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global oil shipments, as “unacceptable.” He said that India cooperated with all stakeholders through diplomatic channels and successfully facilitated the movement of Indian ships out of the affected area.
Highlighting the humanitarian dimension, Modi said that the safety and livelihood of Indians living in the Gulf countries remains a top priority for the government. He noted that nearly ten million Indians live and work in the region, making the situation particularly sensitive.
