MC EXCLUSIVE India to seek vessel-by-vessel clearance from Iran for Strait of Hormuz transit: Govt sources

LPG tanker Shivalik carrying 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG will reach India today at around 5 PM at Mundra port

• India seeks vessel-wise clearance from Iran for Hormuz passage
• LPG tanker Shivalik and crude oil tanker Jag Laadki arrive at Mundra port
• 22 Indian-flagged vessels currently in the west Strait of Hormuz

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India will seek vessel by vessel permission rather than a blanket clearance from Iran for safe passage of its ships from the Strait of Hormuz, a government official told Moneycontrol.

The statement comes amid heightened tensions around the Persian gulf which has put as much as 50% of India’s energy supplies at risk.

Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary, Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, said that LPG tanker Shivalik carrying 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG will reach India today at around 5 PM at Mundra port. “Before its arrival, priority berthing has been arranged,” the official said.

Another crude oil tanker Jag Laadki has safely sailed from UAE’s Fujairah carrying 81000 MT Murban crude oil and is safely en route to India, Sinha said. “The ship will reach tomorrow at Mundra port,” he added.

Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers -- the Shivalik and Nanda Devi -- safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz on March 14 and are now heading towards India carrying approximately 92,700 metric tons of LPG. Earlier, two India-bound tankers carrying a total of 3 million barrels of Iraqi and Arab crude oil also transited the Strait of Hormuz between March 5 and 10, with their transponders off.

On the issue of Iran providing a safe passage to Indian-flagged vessels via the key chokepoint, Jaiswal said, "there is a history of engagement of dealing with each other between India and Iran and that has been the basis of our engagement and it is not an exchange issue."

Sinha also said major ports of India are carefully monitoring vessels movement and there has been no congestion reported at major ports. LPG carrying tankers are further given priority berthing at Indian ports, the official said.

Government sources have earlier told Moneycontrol that India is continuously engaging with Iran to ensure safe transit of remaining stranded vessels in the Persian Gulf. "We are in continuous talks, we want to ensure safe passage for Indian vessels," the source said, adding that there will be more talks.

This followed intense diplomatic outreach between India and Iran. Since the crisis began in late February, external affairs minister S Jaishankar has held four rounds of talks with Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held high-level discussions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday to ensure the safe movement of Indian vessels.

For India, the passage of vehicles is crucial as the country depends substantially on LPG supplies from the Gulf region with 90% of LPG imports passing the Strait of Hormuz. Officials noted that the safe movement of the vessels suggests an effective mechanism has been established to safeguard the transit of Indian energy cargo through the key maritime route of the Strait of Hormuz.

Presently, there are 22 Indian-flagged vessels in the west region of the Strait of Hormuz of which six are LPG carriers, one is an LNG tanker, four vessels are carrying crude oil, one is chemical and products carrier, three are container ships, and two are bulk carriers among other vessels, as per data by shipping ministry.