New Delhi, May 3 (IANS). Another Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker belonging to India has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow sea route in the Persian Gulf.
The LPG tanker belonging to India has crossed the Strait of Hormuz at a time when tensions between the US and Iran continue, due to which movement through the strait has almost come to a halt. It is considered a very important sea route, because about 20 percent of the world’s crude oil is exported through it.
The Marshall Islands-flagged ship, Sarva Shakti, which was carrying about 45,000 tonnes of LPG, commonly used as cooking fuel, was seen entering the Gulf of Oman after passing near Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands on Saturday, according to ship tracking data.
It is believed that this ship is heading towards India. Sarva Shakti, a giant gas carrier, has previously operated on routes between the Persian Gulf and Indian ports.
The vessel is currently broadcasting details of its Indian destination and crew, as part of security protocols widely adopted by ships operating in the region since the start of the Iran-related conflict.
This ship is considered very important as it is the first voyage of an Indian tanker after the US-led blockade targeting ships belonging to Iran.
These sanctions had reduced tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to almost zero, disrupting one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
The Sarva Shakti is one of the largest ships to have traveled the route since the brief and disorganized reopening of the strait last month, shortly after new restrictions were imposed.
The first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict in Middle East began on February 28, according to reports last month, signaling an easing of the blockade.
According to ship tracking data, the LNG tanker Mubaraj – which loaded cargo from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co’s Das Island plant in early March – passed the southern tip of India.
The ship remained inactive in the Persian Gulf for several weeks and had stopped sending signals since about March 31, after which it reappeared west of India on Monday.
–IANS
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