Another Indian-flagged LPG tanker, the Green Asha, reached Indian shores on Thursday, after transiting the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week. The vessel carrying 15,400 tonnes of LPG was berthed at the BPCL-IOCL liquid jetty at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
It is the first tanker of its kind to dock at JNPA port since the outbreak of the war in which Iran, the United States and Israel participated.The ship, its cargo and all crew members are safe and sound. The arrival comes at a time when shipping operations in the Middle East are under pressure amid the Iran-US war.
Earlier, the seventh Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Green Sanvi, also transited the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the center stressed that the domestic LPG supply situation remains stable and under control.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has directed states and union territories to double the daily supply of 5 kg Free Trade Liquefied Petroleum (FTL) cylinders for migrant workers.In a letter to chief secretaries, Oil Minister Neeraj Mittal said the additional cylinders will be distributed exclusively to migrant workers with the support of oil marketing companies.At an inter-ministerial press conference on developments in the Middle East, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum, dismissed concerns about the shortage.
“…No dryness has been reported in LPG distribution vessels and all petrol pumps are working normally…No dryness has been reported in petrol pumps either…6,500 tonnes of commercial LPG were sold yesterday…Oil marketing companies have organized 1,300 awareness camps in the last four days…The companies have sold 10,005 cylinders…The awareness camps are aimed at providing information about the availability of 5 kg cylinders to the consumers.”She added that 6,500 tons of commercial LPG were sold on Monday to meet demand, while petrol pumps across the country continue to operate normally.At the beginning of the conflict, 28 ships flying the Indian flag were present in the Strait of Hormuz area. So far, 10 of them, eight from the western side and two from the eastern side, have completed their crossing safely.Since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz has remained under Tehran’s control. Iran’s actions have disrupted major energy routes, creating ripple effects in global oil markets, as nearly a fifth of the world’s energy supplies pass through the narrow waterway.