New Delhi: Two Indian flagged LPG tankers have safely crossed the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia and are now heading toward Indian ports with a major cargo of cooking gas.
According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the vessels BW TYR and BW ELM are carrying a combined cargo of nearly 94,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas. The shipment is roughly equivalent to a day’s supply of cooking gas for India. BW TYR is expected to arrive at Mumbai on March 31, while BW ELM is scheduled to reach New Mangalore on April 1.
The tankers are among several Indian flagged vessels that have successfully navigated the narrow maritime route in recent days despite heightened tensions in the region. Data from ship tracking sources indicates that four LPG tankers have already completed the crossing, while three more vessels remain in the western section of the strait awaiting safe passage.
Earlier, the LPG carriers Pine Gas and Jag Vasant transported around 92,612 tonnes of cooking gas and reached Indian ports between March 26 and March 28. Before them, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi delivered approximately 92,712 tonnes of LPG to ports in Gujarat, arriving at Mundra on March 16 and Kandla on March 17.
India depends heavily on imports to meet its cooking gas requirements. The country consumed about 33.15 million tonnes of LPG last year, with imports accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total demand. Nearly 90 percent of these imports originate from countries in West Asia, making the uninterrupted functioning of the Strait of Hormuz critical for India’s energy security.
Amid disruptions caused by the conflict in the region, India has also begun sourcing LPG from countries such as the United States and Argentina to maintain supply stability.
Authorities have confirmed that 18 Indian flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region. Maritime authorities are monitoring the situation closely, while port operations across India continue to function normally without congestion, ensuring the steady movement of essential cargo.
