Another LPG tanker arrives in India after crossing Strait of Hormuz

The second Indian flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker ‘Nanda Devi’ arrived at Vadinar Port in Gujarat on Tuesday with about 46,500 metric tonnes of LPG from Qatar after crossing the Strait of Hormuz in the war-affected Zone in West Asia even as the government sought to allay fears about the shortage of LPG.

Earlier on Monday, the first Indian-flagged ‘Shivalik’ docked at Mundra Port in Gujarat, carrying a total cargo of about 46,000 metric tonnes (MT) of LPG, with 20,000 MT set to be unloaded at Mundra and the remaining 26,000 MT to be discharged at Mangalore.

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Another ship, ‘Jag Laadki’, carrying nearly 81,000 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, is also reportedly en route to India.
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At a media briefing here, officials said nearly 3 lakh metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently stranded at the Strait of Hormuz.

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said multiple vessels carrying LPG are unable to move due to the situation in the crucial shipping route. Six ships are currently stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with each vessel carrying around 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG.

The government said the authorities conducted 12,000 raids and seized more than 15,000 LPG cylinders to curb hoarding amid rumours of shortages and panic bookings while maintaining that there is no supply shortage across the country.

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, assured that availability of LPG remained adequate despite increased demand. Confirming around 70,000 bookings made on Monday due to panic buying, she appealed to consumers to avoid unnecessary bookings and consider alternative arrangements where feasible.

Digital adoption, she said, remains high, with nearly 94 per cent of domestic LPG bookings being made online. She urged consumers to continue using online platforms and avoid panic-driven demand.

Sharma also noted that Delivery Authenticity Code (DAC) compliance has improved to 76 per cent.

She said several states, including Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Manipur, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand, have taken steps to allocate non-domestic LPG for essential services.

Also, there are reports suggesting that India is reviewing requests from neighbouring countries for additional fuel supplies as Bangladesh, Nepal and others face the prospect of acute shortages amid disruptions to key maritime routes due to the conflict in West Asia.