Amid LPG Supply shortage in the country, another Indian-flagged oil tanker named Jag Laadki, carrying around 80,800 metric tonnes of crude oil, reached Mundra port in Gujarat on Wednesday after completing its journey from the United Arab Emirates. Notably, the oil tanker had departed Fujairah port on Sunday morning, a day after the port’s oil terminal came under attack, temporarily disrupting operations.
Government officials stated that the oil tanker was loading crude at Fujairah’s Single Point Mooring when the strike occurred on March 14, 2026. “On March 14, 2026, while the Indian-flag vessel Jag Laadki was loading crude oil at the Fujairah Single Point Mooring, the Fujairah oil terminal was attacked. The vessel sailed safely from Fujairah at 1030 hrs IST today (Sunday) carrying about 80,800 tonnes of Murban crude oil and is bound for India," India said in a statement.
Jag Laadki is third fuel tanker to reach India
Notably, after Shivalik and Nanda Devi, this is the third Indian-flagged vessel to emerge from the conflict-affected region unharmed.
These oill vessels reached India amid heightened tensions in West Asia, with reports indicating that Iran has assured safe passage for Indian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, even as it warned of potential strikes targeting port areas in the UAE.
In the meantime, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that the crucial maritime route would be restricted for US and Israeli vessels during the ongoing conflict.
Prior to this, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, transported a combined 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG through the Strait of Hormuz. One vessel reached Mundra on Monday, while the other arrived in India a day later.
'Nanda Devi' arrived safely at Vadinar port in Gujarat on Tuesday
India's second LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' arrived safely at Vadinar port in Gujarat on Tuesday, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of gas after navigating the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia conflict, an official said. The first ship, 'Shivalik', reached Mundra Port in Gujarat on Monday.
'Nanda Devi' has docked at Vadinar port in Devbhumi Dwarka district, and preparations were being made to shift the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to the daughter ship, Deendayal Port Authority Chairman Sushil Kumar Singh told reporters.
"A consignment of 46,500 metric tonnes of LPG has been brought in; this cargo will be transferred to a vessel named BW Birch, which will subsequently proceed to discharge portions of the consignment at the ports of Ennore (Tamil Nadu) and Haldia (West Bengal) along the eastern coast," he said.
Transfer process takes place at a rate of 1,000 tonnes per hour
"The transfer process takes place at a rate of 1,000 tonnes per hour; consequently, the entire operation is expected to take two days to complete," he added.
The port authority at Vadinar is tasked with ensuring that these operations are executed with maximum efficiency, as per the directive of the Ministry of Ports, Singh said.
Gujarat minister Jitu Vaghani on Monday said that LPG carrier Shivalik safely reached Mundra port from Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia crisis due to the strong diplomatic relations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with world leaders.
The ship passed safely through the Strait of Hormuz despite global unrest and tensions involving Iran, Israel and other countries, he told the state assembly.
India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas and 60 per cent of LPG needs. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's retaliation, more than half of India's crude imports, about 30 per cent of gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG imports came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
