India working to bring back 15 stranded vessels from Strait of Hormuz

India's Ministry of Ports and MEA are working to repatriate 15 Indian-flagged vessels stranded at the Strait of Hormuz. A breakthrough was achieved as 'Jag Vikram', an LPG carrier, successfully navigated the strait amid a US-Iran ceasefire.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Ministry of External Affairs are in coordination to bring back a total of 15 Indian-flagged vessels stranded at the Strait of Hormuz. Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on Monday, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal said, "We, in coordination with MEA, are trying, putting our efforts to bring our vessels back. And as soon as it is possible for our vessels to sail from the Strait of Hormuz, those vessels will come back. At present, a total of 15 Indian-flagged and Indian-owned vessels are there."

Breakthrough as 'Jag Vikram' Crosses Strait

Meanwhile, the Indian-flagged vessel 'Jag Vikram', carrying 20,400 metric tonnes of LPG, is likely to arrive at Kandla, Gujarat, on April 14. Mukesh Mangal said that the vessel with 24 seafarers on board crossed the Strait of Hormuz on April 11. The transit marks a breakthrough for New Delhi, as it is the first Indian ship to navigate the strategic corridor after the announcement of a 14-day ceasefire between the US and Iran, aimed at cooling regional hostilities and restoring essential maritime trade routes.

Seafarer Safety and Repatriation Efforts

The Additional Secretary further provided a reassuring update on the status of vessels and crew members in the Gulf region, highlighting that no incident has been reported involving Indian vessels in the past 24 hours. "We have received no report of any incident related to an Indian-flagged vessel in the last 24 hours. The Ministry has facilitated safe repatriation of more than 2177 Indian seafarers till now, including 93 seafarers in the last 24 hours," he said.

The ministry emphasised its commitment to ensuring seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations, highlighting continuous coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions, and maritime stakeholders. "Operations are normal at every Indian port, and there have been no reports of any congestion," the Ministry added.

Passage Crucial for India's LPG Supply

The importance of passage of Jag Vikram is further highlighted by the fact that nearly 90 per cent of India's liquefied petroleum gas imports are sourced from nations in the Gulf region. (ANI)

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