NEW DELHI — An Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker took an unconventional and closely monitored route to safely exit the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of delay caused by escalating conflict in the region.
The tanker Pine Gas had loaded cargo at the United Arab Emirates’ Ruwais port on February 27, a day before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Initially expected to return to India within a week, the vessel remained stranded for nearly three weeks as Iran imposed selective transit controls in the strategic waterway.
Chief Officer Sohan Lal said the ship’s 27-member Indian crew witnessed missiles and drones flying overhead daily while waiting for clearance. Video footage reviewed by Reuters showed multiple projectiles streaking across the night sky above the vessel.
According to Lal, Indian authorities placed the crew on standby around March 11, but worsening hostilities delayed movement until March 23. When clearance was finally granted, the tanker was directed to avoid the main shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz.
Instead, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) instructed the vessel to navigate a narrow and less commonly used channel north of Larak Island, off Iran’s southern coast. Lal said the route was recommended because the usual passage through the strait had been mined.
Indian authorities and the vessel’s owner, Mumbai-based Seven Islands Shipping, agreed to proceed only after securing the consent of all crew members.
“They needed a yes or a no from all crew,” Lal said. “Everyone onboard agreed.”
During the transit, the Indian Navy guided the tanker, with four warships escorting it for nearly 20 hours from the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea. Lal confirmed that no transit fees were paid and that IRGC personnel did not board the vessel at any point.
The Indian Navy said it has been escorting Indian-flagged vessels after they cross the Strait of Hormuz, while the country’s foreign ministry noted that naval deployments in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea have long been in place to help secure maritime routes for Indian and international shipping.
The Pine Gas, carrying approximately 45,000 metric tons of LPG, had originally been scheduled to unload at the west coast port of Mangalore. However, authorities later redirected the shipment to the eastern ports of Visakhapatnam and Haldia.
India relies heavily on imported LPG delivered by sea, with hundreds of millions of households using it for cooking, raising concerns over supply disruptions amid the ongoing conflict.
Iran has said it is allowing passage for vessels from “friendly nations,” including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan. Despite this, only six Indian ships have successfully exited the strait so far, while 18 Indian-flagged vessels carrying about 485 Indian seafarers remain in the Persian Gulf.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
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