India's HPCL issues rare tender seeking tanker to load Russian LPG, document shows

New Delhi: India's state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corp has issued a rare tender seeking a liquefied petroleum gas tanker to immediately load propane and butane from Russia's Ust-Luga port, a ‌tender document ⁠seen by ⁠Reuters on Monday showed.

The vessel, to be ​loaded with 12,000 metric tons of butane and 8,000 ​tons of propane for discharge on India's west coast, must not be under ​sanctions and must have ⁠no links ‌to Iran, the document said.

HPCL did not immediately respond to a request ⁠for comment.


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Indian state refiners are seeking ​to buy LPG, used as cooking ​gas, from more diversified sources including Russia as India faces its worst LPG supply crisis in decades.

Supplies from the Middle East have been disrupted by ‌the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S.-Israeli war on ​Iran.

Indian authorities ​have previously ⁠said they are purchasing LPG from countries including the U.S., Norway, Canada, and Russia.

India consumed 33.15 ​million tons of LPG last year, with imports accounting for about 60% of demand. About 90% of those imports came from the Middle East.