Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: LPG tanker Jag Vikram loaded with 20,400 tonne of cooking gas safely crossed Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, becoming the first Indian-flagged vessel to pass through the conflict-hit maritime choke point since the announcement of a temporary two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, reports Dipak Dash. Jag Vikram is the ninth Indian-flagged ship to exit the Persian Gulf since the war began on Feb 28. The vessel with 24 seafarers onboard is expected to arrive at Mumbai on April 15, shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in a post on X. At present, another 15 Indian ships remain in the Persian Gulf awaiting instructions to proceed. These include one carrying LPG, four with crude oil tankers, one LNG tanker, one with chemical products, three container ships and two bulk carriers. Officials said other India-bound foreign ships carrying energy products are also stranded in the Persian Gulf. “In total 16 India-bound ships – both Indian- and foreign-flagged – carrying energy products are waiting on the west of Strait of Hormuz. Three of these are loaded with LPG, three are carrying LNG and the remaining 10 have crude oil loaded in them,” said an official.
