The government is closely coordinating with several ministries and stakeholders to facilitate the safe return of Indian ships and energy shipments from the Arabian Gulf region, Director of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Upesh Kumar Sharma, on Thursday said.
In an inter-ministerial press conference, Sharma said that no other ship flying the Indian flag had left the Persian Gulf after the Malta-flagged LNG tanker Disha crossed the Strait of Hormuz on June 15 and headed towards India.
Responding to questions about India’s preparedness following indications that shipping movement through the Strait of Hormuz could gradually resume, Sharma said the government was working in coordination with all agencies concerned.
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“We are closely coordinating with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Ministry of External Affairs, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure everyone is prepared and our vessels return as soon as possible,” Sharma said.
Regarding the situation of Indian ships in the region, he said: “So far, no other ship flying the Indian flag has moved after Disha.”
Sharma said that efforts are underway to ensure the movement of energy shipments and ships flying the Indian flag. “We are closely coordinating with all our stakeholders to ensure our capacity goes out as well as the ships flying our flags,” he said.
Earlier in the press conference, Sharma said the Malta-flagged LNG tanker Disha, carrying 62,370 metric tons of LNG, safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and is expected to dock in Dahej in Gujarat on Friday.
He gave an update on the ship’s movement and the government’s ongoing efforts to support Indian seafarers amid regional tensions.
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“As you are aware, the Maltese-flagged LNG tanker Disha transited the Strait of Hormuz on June 15, carrying around 62,370 metric tons of LNG cargo. The vessel is expected to dock in Dehj tomorrow morning,” Sharma said.
He said the Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), continues to work closely with various stakeholders to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian seafarers.
“The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping, remains in constant coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, our missions abroad, shipping companies and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian seafarers and provide all necessary assistance,” Sharma said.
Giving details of the support mechanism put in place by the government, Sharma said: “The control room set up at DG Shipping handled more than 13,187 calls and more than 29,376 emails.”
“In the last 72 hours, a total of 450 calls and 1,077 emails were received from seafarers, their families and maritime stakeholders,” he added.
Sharma also spoke about the safe return of Indian sailors to their homeland. He said, “The Ministry, through the General Directorate of Shipping, has facilitated the safe return of more than 3,639 sailors so far, including 47 in the past 72 hours.”
He also noted that the country’s naval operations were not affected. “Port operations across India remain normal and no congestion has been reported,” he said.
