In a significant breakthrough for India’s energy supply chain, the Indian-flagged LPG vessel Jag Vikram arrived at Kandla Port on April 14, carrying 20,400 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas after successfully navigating the Strait of Hormuz on April 11.
The vessel docked at Oil Jetty No. 1 late Tuesday night, becoming the first Indian ship to transit the strategic corridor following the announcement of a 14-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The ceasefire, aimed at cooling regional hostilities, has opened a critical window for restoring essential maritime energy trade routes.
The arrival carries significant weight given that nearly 90% of India’s LPG imports originate from Gulf nations, making uninterrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz a matter of national energy security.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, is working to bring back 15 Indian-flagged vessels still stranded at the Strait. Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal confirmed that no incidents involving Indian vessels have been reported in the past 24 hours and that over 2,177 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated so far, including 93 in the last 24 hours alone.
Mangal added that port operations across India remain fully normal with no congestion reported at any facility, reinforcing the government’s commitment to maintaining uninterrupted maritime operations through coordinated inter-ministerial action.
Source: The Hindu
