Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: A shipping lobby group and a state-run oil company on Friday sought security escort for vessels moving in and out of the Strait of Hormuz, the channel for oil and gas supply from West Asia, while also suggesting access through other ports, such as Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, to ensure uninterrupted flow of energy and other commodities from the crisis-hit region.At a high-level inter-ministerial meeting chaired by shipping secretary Vijay Kumar, companies urged govt to direct ports to waive demurrage charges and other levies, such as for detention and plug-in for stuck cargo and containers at ports.HPCL, among other companies present in the inter-ministerial meeting, said its vessels loaded with crude and LNG were stuck in the Persian Gulf, with another three empty ones waiting to enter.
Indian Shipowners’ Association (INSA) also joined in the demand for security for vessels, while citing how Indian Navy as part of Operation Sankalp had come to the rescue of shipping lines from piracy, hijacking and attacks by the Houthis in Red Sea in 2024. The industry body is said to have also flagged the issue with the Indian Navy.According to officials, the shipping secretary said action by the Navy and external affairs ministry would depend on evolving geopolitical situation.A Reliance Industries representative proposed easing of age norms for vessels docking at Indian ports as part of a plan to boost availability of ships, a person familiar with the discussions told TOI.Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) flagged the risk to basmati and fruits and vegetables exports to the region and said it is in talks with logistics company DP World to take fruits, especially bananas to ports close to Dubai, so that they can be shipped by road. Nearly 3,000 containers of basmati and 1,000 containers of banana and grapes are currently in high seas and headed for the region.Association of Multimodal Transport Operators of India suggested that the fruits could be taken to Sharjah and Khor Fakkan ports and from there these can be transported to other cities.
