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The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on Thursday confirmed that two LPG carrier vessels bound for India have safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, even as an Indian sailing vessel reportedly sank following an incident in Omani waters amid the West Asia conflict.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial press conference regarding the West Asia crisis in the national capital, Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, said, "Two LPG carrier vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz." He added that both cargo shipments were for India and were being operated in coordination with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), ensuring safe passage through the critical shipping lane. Providing details of the first vessel, officials said an LPG carrier and Marshall Islands-flagged ship carrying 19,965 metric tonnes of LPG cargo for India, with 21 foreign crew members onboard, safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz on 13 May 2026. The vessel is expected to arrive at Kandla Port on 16 May 2026. The second vessel, NV SUNSHINE, a Vietnam-flagged LPG carrier, is carrying 46,427 metric tonnes of LPG cargo for India with 24 foreign crew members onboard. It safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz on 14 May 2026 and is expected to arrive at New Mangalore Port on 18 May 2026. Officials also noted a minor variation in cargo reporting, with earlier figures indicating the vessel was carrying around 46,004 metric tonnes of LPG. Separately, Mangal informed that an Indian sailing vessel faced a serious maritime incident in Omani waters. "An Indian sailing vessel that is actually made of wood and named Haji Ali reportedly encountered an attack incident in Omani waters in the early hours of 13th May, which led to the sinking of the vessel. All 14 crew members on board were safely rescued by the Omani Coast Guard," he said. Authorities have confirmed that all crew members are safe following the rescue operation, while further details regarding the incident are awaited. The developments come amid heightened monitoring of strategic sea routes in West Asia, with Indian authorities keeping a close watch on maritime security to ensure the uninterrupted movement of energy cargoes. Meanwhile, tensions remain high in the Gulf region as the US and Iran have not reached an agreement to end the conflict. However, the temporary ceasefire continues to hold even after the April 21 deadline, allowing Washington and Tehran to take their time in negotiating the terms. US President Donald Trump has voiced significant dissatisfaction with Tehran's recent diplomatic overtures. He asserted that Washington will not advance negotiations unless the nuclear issue is tackled directly. The US President also claimed that Iran had indicated it was in a "state of collapse" and was consequently pushing for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible". Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has announced its decision to quit OPEC and OPEC+ to focus on "national interests", dealing a heavy blow to the oil-exporting groups at a time when the US-Israel war on Iran has caused a historic energy shock and rattled the global economy, as per Al Jazeera. (ANI)
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