India-flagged merchant ship Green Asha, carrying 15,400 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), has reached Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in Navi Mumbai after crossing the Strait of Hormuz on April 5. The vessel’s arrival is timely to boost cooking gas supplies in India amidst the West Asia crisis. Green Asha has docked at JNPA’s liquid berth managed by Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil.
Another Indian vessel, Green Sanvi, transporting LPG and also flagged by India, traversed the Strait on April 6 and is anticipated to arrive in India soon. The improved situation has paved the way for more liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments to the country, allowing the government to raise gas allocation to fertilizer plants by 5% to nearly 95% of their six-month average consumption.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Missions, is actively monitoring the evolving situation in the Persian Gulf region. All Indian seafarers in the area are secure, with no reported incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels in the past 24 hours, as confirmed by the Ministry of Ports and Shipping.
The Directorate General of Shipping is vigilantly observing developments in the tense region, working closely with ship owners, Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) agencies, and Indian Missions. The DG Shipping Control Room has managed numerous calls and emails, facilitating the safe repatriation of over 1,803 Indian seafarers, including 49 in the last 24 hours, from various locations in the Gulf region.
Port operations across India are running smoothly without any congestion reported. State Maritime Boards of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry have verified the seamless functioning of port operations. The Ministry remains in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions, and maritime stakeholders to ensure the well-being of Indian seafarers and uninterrupted maritime activities.
