New Delhi/Mumbai: Two India-flagged tankers hauling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived in the country after being cleared by Iran to transit the strategic Strait of Hormuz, even as two additional carriers, the BW Tyr and BW Elm, began their journey through the waterway on Saturday, officials aware of the matter said.
According to the officials, the Jag Vasant, a 230-metre-long ship, dropped anchor around 8 pm on Friday at Vadinar, a terminal of the state-run Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), popularly called Kandla. Meanwhile, the second vessel — the Indian Oil Corp-chartered Pine Gas — entered Indian territorial waters on Friday night and is scheduled to reach its east-coast destination at the Adani Group-led Dhamra port in Odisha on April 2, they added. Both ships transited the strait safely by tracking the Iranian coastline closely on a route determined by Tehran authorities for vessels authorised for passage.
At the Vadinar facility, spokesperson Omprakash Dadlani confirmed that the Jag Vasant’s 14-member crew are in good spirits and sound health. The Bharat Petroleum Corp-chartered tanker was carrying 47,000 tonnes of LPG. The shipment has since been transferred to another ship for onward transportation. The Pine Gas reached Indian territorial waters on Friday night and was headed to the Odisha facility, a second official aware of the matter said, requesting anonymity.
BW Tyr and BW Elm started transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, a person aware of the development said.
A second official familiar with the matter said that BW Tyr is set to reach Mumbai on March 31.
According to a shipping ministry official, who requested anonymity, BW ELM is headed to New Mangalore and has 28 seafarers (all Indians) and has 23,860 tonnes of propane and 23,139 tonnes of butane. The cargo is meant for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. “BW TYR is headed for Mumbai and has 27 seafarers (all Indians). It has 23,653 tonnes of propane and 22,926 tonnes of butane for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited,” the official added.
A status report prepared by the directorate of shipping (Mumbai), seen by HT, has revealed: “BW TYR is scheduled to arrive at Mumbai on March 31 at 8 pm BW ELM is bound for New Mangalore and is expected to reach on April 1 at 12 noon. Three other Indian Flagged LPG vessels, Jag Vikram Green Asha, and Green Sanvi are currently anchored off Mina Saqr, awaiting instructions from the Indian Navy for transit through north of the Strait of Hormuz.”
