Amid firing by Iranian gunboats that forced two Indian‑flagged tankers to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the tenth Indian‑flagged vessel managed to cross the strait.
The ship, Desh Garima, laden with crude oil, was bound for Mumbai port. Iran has been sporadically permitting Indian vessels to sail through since it imposed a blockade on the strategic waterway last month, in the midst of its war with the United States and Israel which began on 28 February.
Maritime Traffic data indicates that several Indian‑ and foreign‑flagged ships destined for Indian ports remain waiting to cross Hormuz.
Official figures show thirteen Indian vessels are positioned in the Persian Gulf to the west of Hormuz, six in the Gulf of Oman to the east, one in the Gulf of Aden and three in the Red Sea.
According to the petroleum ministry, seventeen vessels have been identified for evacuation, comprising four LPG carriers, three LNG carriers and ten crude oil tankers. Of these, three are Indian‑flagged vessels while the remaining fourteen are foreign‑flagged.
In parallel, the chemicals and fertilisers ministry has prepared a list of another sixteen ships for evacuation, including one Indian‑flagged vessel, Jag Arnav, which was attacked by the IRGC on Saturday.
Officials confirmed that as of Saturday, there were 499 Indian seafarers aboard Indian‑flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf region — 343 to the west of Hormuz and 156 in the Gulf of Oman. To date, 2,487 seafarers have been evacuated by various shipping companies.
Reuters reported that vessels attempting to cross Hormuz on Saturday received radio messages from Iran’s navy stating they were not permitted to pass, while two ships reported being struck by gunfire.
Several commercial vessels attempted transit after a notice to mariners the previous day indicated passage was allowed, though restricted to lanes Iran deemed safe.
Agencies
