LPG vessel Shivalik arrives at Gujarat's Mundra Port after crossing Strait of Hormuz

The LPG vessel Shivalik arrived at Mundra Port on Monday carrying 46,000 tonnes of liquid LPG ordered by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

Of the total cargo, 20,000 tonnes will be unloaded at Mundra, while the remaining quantity will be discharged at Mangalore. The shipment forms part of IOC’s LPG supply movement to different terminals for distribution.

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The vessel had earlier transited the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz after being granted passage by Iranian authorities amid heightened tensions in West Asia. Shivalik was among two Indian-flagged LPG carriers — the other being Nanda Devi — allowed to pass through the vital waterway that handles a significant share of global energy shipments.


Shipping Ministry Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha had said the two vessels were expected to reach Indian ports on March 16 and 17 after safely crossing the strait.

According to the ministry, the two ships together are carrying around 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG and are headed to Indian ports including Mundra and Kandla. After their transit, 22 Indian-flagged vessels remained in the Persian Gulf region with a total of 611 seafarers on board.

India-Iran in talks to help resume maritime movement

The development comes as India engages diplomatically with Tehran to ensure continued maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently told the Financial Times that New Delhi believes direct dialogue with Iran is the most effective way to maintain the flow of shipping through the waterway.

Also read: As India seeks Hormuz safe passage, Tehran asks for return of seized tankers, sources say

Jaishankar said India is coordinating with Tehran to facilitate the resumption of maritime traffic through the strait, which carries nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil trade. He noted that discussions were already yielding results, citing the safe passage of vessels such as Shivalik and Nanda Devi.

However, the minister clarified that there is currently no blanket arrangement for the movement of all Indian-flagged ships and that transit permissions are being managed on a case-by-case basis.

Meanwhile, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, also indicated that Indian vessels would be allowed to pass through the strategically important strait, saying Iranian authorities had facilitated passage for some ships.