All Indian seafarers in the Middle East region are confirmed safe, with no recent shipping incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels, as stated by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. Currently, 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 Indian seafarers are in the western Persian Gulf region, under close monitoring by the Directorate General of Shipping in collaboration with ship owners, RPSL agencies, and Indian Missions.
The LPG carrier vessels Shivalik and Nanda Devi, back from the Middle East, are actively unloading cargo following the oil handling companies’ schedules. The DG Shipping control room operates round the clock, having managed 3,305 calls and 6,324 emails since activation, including 125 calls and 449 emails in the last 24 hours. The safe repatriation of over 472 Indian seafarers, including 25 in the past day, has been facilitated, with airports and regional locations involved in the process.
India’s maritime sector is functioning smoothly without any port congestion, as confirmed by State Maritime Boards like Gujarat and Maharashtra. Ports are vigilantly overseeing vessel movements and cargo operations, boasting spare capacity and additional storage areas, such as approximately 2,260 square meters at Visakhapatnam Port Authority. At JNPA, the situation is stable, with the number of stranded containers decreasing to around 770 from about 1,000.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is actively monitoring shipping activities, port operations, seafarers’ safety, and maritime trade continuity amidst the changing scenario in West Asia. Flight operations are gradually improving, with more services being introduced between India and the Middle East region, enhancing connectivity and facilitating travel between the two regions.
