Ahmedabad: Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers on Monday passed through the Strait of Hormuz and are now moving towards India, sailing close to the Iranian coast, even as traffic through the strategically vital waterway remains severely restricted due to rising tensions in West Asia. The vessels, Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, are carrying cargo crucial for India’s domestic LPG supply, according to ship-tracking data, and are expected to arrive at Kandla and Mangalore ports respectively.

Data from the MarineTraffic platform showed that Pine Gas crossed the strait first, followed closely by Jag Vasant. According to reports, the movement of both vessels was being coordinated by the Indian Navy, and they are expected to receive naval escort after entering the Gulf of Oman to ensure safe passage.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints for oil and gas shipments, has witnessed major disruption in recent days due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Hundreds of ships remain stuck inside the Gulf, and thousands of seafarers are stranded as commercial traffic through the route has slowed sharply amid security concerns linked to tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran.

Despite the risks, Indian vessels have continued to move under special security arrangements. Earlier this month, LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi safely crossed the strait and delivered nearly 93,000 metric tonnes of LPG to Indian ports, while crude oil tanker Jag Laadki also completed transit under similar protection.

Meanwhile, India is closely monitoring the situation, as the waterway remains critical for the country’s energy supplies, with a large share of crude oil and LPG imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Jag Vasant, owned and operated by Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, had been chartered by state-run refiner Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL). The other tanker, Pine Gas, owned and operated by Seven Islands Shipping, was chartered by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), according to publicly available shipping records.

Vessel-tracking data shows that both LPG carriers appear to have started their journey towards India between late Sunday night and early Monday, and are likely to reach Indian ports in about three days. DeshGujarat