LPG vessel Jag Vikram, carrying approximately 20,400 MT of LPG has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, said the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas on Saturday. It is the first India-flagged vessel to transit the strategic waterway since a temporary two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran was announced.
According to ship-tracking data, the tanker moved through the Strait between Friday night and Saturday morning and was located in the Gulf of Oman, east of the waterway, on Saturday afternoon, proceeding eastwards.
The vessel is expected to arrive in Mumbai on April 15, the government said. There are 24 Indian seafarers on board.
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Owned by Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, Jag Vikram is a mid-sized gas carrier with a deadweight capacity of over 26,000 tonnes.
Jag Vikram is the ninth Indian vessel to exit the Persian Gulf since early March. At least 28 India-flagged vessels were in the Strait of Hormuz region when the West Asia conflict erupted on February 28 — 24 on the western side and four on the eastern side.
Prior to Jag Vikram's transit, eight vessels from the western side and two from the eastern side had managed to sail to safety. Around 15 India-flagged ships remain in the region, awaiting passage. Several foreign-flagged ships carrying India-bound cargo are also still stranded in the Persian Gulf.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways confirmed that all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, with no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels reported in the past 24 hours. The Shipping Control Room, operational 24x7, has handled 5,973 calls and more than 12,675 emails since activation.
The government has also facilitated the safe repatriation of more than 2,009 Indian seafarers from the Gulf region, including 81 in the last 24 hours.
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On the domestic energy front, the government said LPG supply remains normal, with over 51.5 lakh domestic cylinders delivered on April 10 alone. To protect consumers from rising crude prices, excise duty on petrol and diesel has been reduced by ₹10 per litre, with retail prices at fuel outlets remaining unchanged.
Citizens have been advised against panic purchases of fuel and LPG.
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