New Delhi/Mumbai: Two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have arrived in the country after Iran allowed them to transit the strategic Strait of Hormuz, even as two additional tankers, BW Tyr and BW Elm, began their journey through the waterway on Saturday, officials familiar with the matter said.
According to officials, the 230-metre-long Jag Vasant docked around 8pm on Friday at Vadinar, a terminal of the state-run Deendayal Port Authority, known as Kandla. Meanwhile, they added that the second ship – Pine Gas chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation – entered Indian territorial waters on Friday evening and is scheduled to reach its destination on the east coast at the Adani Group-led Dhamra port in Odisha on April 2. The two ships crossed the strait safely by closely following the Iranian coast on the route set by Tehran authorities for ships allowed to pass.
At the Vadinar facility, spokesman Omprakash Dadlani confirmed that the 14-member Jag Vasant crew were in good spirits and in good health. The tanker chartered from Bharat Petroleum was carrying 47,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas. The shipment has since been transferred to another ship for further transportation. Another official familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity, said that the pine gas tanker arrived in Indian territorial waters on Friday evening and was heading to the Odisha facility.
A person familiar with the developments said that BW Tyr and BW Elm began crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
The BW Tyr is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on March 31, a second official familiar with the matter said.
According to a shipping ministry official, who requested anonymity, the BW ELM is heading to New Mangalore and has 28 sailors (all Indians) and has 23,860 tonnes of propane and 23,139 tonnes of butane. The consignment is for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. “BW TYR is heading to Mumbai and has 27 sailors (all Indians). It has 23,653 tons of propane and 22,926 tons of butane for BPCL,” the official added.
A status report prepared by the Directorate of Shipping (Mumbai), seen by HT, revealed, “BW TYR is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on March 31 at 8pm and BW ELM is headed to New Mangalore and is expected to arrive on April 1 at 12pm. Three more Indian-flagged LPG vessels, namely Jag Vikram Green Asha and Green Sanvi, are also currently anchored off Port Saqr, awaiting instructions from the Indian Navy to transit through the North Strait. Hormuz.”
