Three more ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, even as India continues to closely monitor maritime traffic in the West Asian region, where 16 ships of Indian interest remain stuck in the Persian Gulf and have been marked for possible evacuation, according to official shipping data released late Friday night.
The data also indicates that after the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States of America on June 17, 24 crossings have taken place so far. Track the June 27 updates on the Iran war
The Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Desh Surakasha, loaded with 1,05,657 metric tons of crude oil and bound for Fujairah in the UAE, crossed the Strait of Hormuz via the Oman route on Friday.
The Singapore-flagged oil/chemical tanker Prabhu Parvati also transited the Strait of Hormuz carrying 18,732 metric tons of cargo. She is expected to arrive in Kandla, India, for graduation on June 29.
The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, Victoria, transited the Strait of Hormuz via the Omani route on Friday evening. The ship is loaded with 43,100 metric tons of urea and is headed to Mundra, India. It is managed by a crew of 24 Turks.
16 major ships remain in Hormuz
Meanwhile, a total of 16 vessels of Indian interest, comprising Indian-flagged vessels and foreign-flagged vessels bound for India, remain in the Persian Gulf (west of the Strait of Hormuz) and have been identified for evacuation. This includes one energy cargo ship, four fertiliser-carrying ships and 11 other ships of Indian interest.
The data also indicates that four incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels and 19 incidents involving foreign-flagged vessels with Indian crew were reported, including seven fatalities, one deceased and four injuries.
Tensions in West Asia rose again after the United States on Saturday launched strikes against Iran over an attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Iran responded to the strikes, which lasted about an hour.
Iran and the United States signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17 outlining the necessary steps to calm tensions in West Asia and laying the foundation for further negotiations. Since the beginning of the Iran-US conflict on February 28, India has pushed for freedom of navigation and the unhindered flow of energy and trade through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed by Iranian authorities.
