2 LPG ships from UAE and 1 oil tanker from Saudi Arabia head to India to fill energy supply gap

Two LPG carriers from the UAE and a crude oil tanker from Saudi Arabia are en route to Indian ports to shore up energy supplies amid the ongoing Iran–US conflict, officials said. The developments come as Dinesh Tripathi canceled his official trip to Australia and New Zealand due to the escalating shipping crisis in the Persian Gulf.

Indian-flagged MV Jag Vasant and MV Pine Gas, sailing five nautical miles apart, departed UAE ports at 6 am IST on Monday after receiving Iranian clearance to transit the sensitive Strait of Hormuz. Carrying 92,612.59 MT of LPG, the ships transited the strait Monday evening, with 33 and 27 Indian seafarers on board, respectively. Jag Vasant is expected to reach Kandla port on March 26, while Pine Gas is scheduled for New Mangalore on March 28. Indian Navy warships will escort the vessels through the Gulf of Oman for 24 hours before they continue to the west coast.

Additionally, the crude oil tanker MT Kallista, Panama-flagged, is loading at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port and will sail to Paradip port via Jeddah, also under Indian Navy escort through the Gulf of Aden.

Due to ongoing missile and drone attacks in the Persian Gulf, Indian crews on tankers face high stress, but the Indian Navy and ship operators maintain constant communication to support morale.

Although India has not paid any fees for the LPG transit, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Council (IRGC) has not allowed Indian warships to escort the tankers. The Iranian embassy in India denied reports that Tehran demanded $2 million per vessel.

To protect Indian-flagged ships, the Indian Navy has deployed Kolkata-class destroyers in the Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden, with captains of all vessels kept informed that support is nearby.