Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers, Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, are currently sailing in one of the world’s most sensitive sea lanes, the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship tracking data, Bloomberg reported.
The report says the ships are part of a small but steady flow of tankers that have continued to cross the strait along routes supposedly permitted by Iran. These routes extend near the southern coast of Iran, especially near the islands of Qeshm and Larak, a route seen as relatively safer amid ongoing regional tensions.
Data indicate that the two ships began moving north from the UAE coast early on Monday, in line with this coastal route strategy. Instead of broadcasting a specific destination, both ships indicated Indian ownership through their transponders, a precaution that ships in the region are increasingly adopting to reduce exposure to potential threats.
Their likely destination is India, which is currently facing LPG concerns and has held discussions with Tehran to secure additional supplies of the fuel, which is widely used for cooking.
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According to the latest positional data of marine traffic, the Pine Gas crossed the Hormuz River on the evening of March 23, and was located in the Gulf of Oman.
In contrast, the Jag Vasant was in the Persian Gulf, and its last position was recorded only in the morning.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said the government is tracking their movement but they will be able to provide more information on the matter on Tuesday. Sinha added that the two tankers carry 92,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas.
The last two Indian aircraft carriers received safe passage after an agreement with Iran. A senior office on board the ship told Bloomberg News that the Iranian Navy piloted one of those tankers.
The Jag Vasant entered the Persian Gulf via Hormuz on February 26, ship tracking data shows. It then filled with liquefied petroleum gas from Kuwait a few hours before the outbreak of war on February 28, and has been stuck ever since. Pine Gas entered on the same day and took delivery of its full cargo from Ruwais from the United Arab Emirates.
Jag Vasant has been leased by Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. and Pine Gas by Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter. The two state-owned companies did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
