West Asia war: US, Russian and Iranian LPG ship arrivals ease India’s supply concerns

DG Shipping monitors Indian vessels as critical oil and gas reach the country. Representational Pic

Amid the ongoing global supply chain crisis, a large cargo ship carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US state of Texas has successfully docked at Mangalore Port.

The vessel, Pyxis Pioneer, delivered critical LPG supplies, ensuring continuity of energy supplies on India's west coast.

Earlier this week, another Indian-flagged LPG tanker, ‘Nanda Devi', arrived at Vadinar Port in Gujarat, following the docking of ‘Shivalik' at Mundra Port. These shipments faced a hazardous journey through the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has been disrupted due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel.

Russian crude oil reaches India

Before the Pyxis Pioneer arrived, another vessel carrying Russian crude oil reached Mangalore Port, stationed about 18 nautical miles from the coast. The oil is being transferred through the single-point mooring system to pipelines for delivery to MRPL as per IANS reports.

This shipment follows a temporary general license issued by the US, allowing the sale of Russian crude already stranded at sea as of March 12. The move aims to stabilize global fuel prices amid tensions in the Middle East.

India has sharply increased its purchases of Russian oil, using the US license to manage supply disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

Indian shipping and safety monitoring

India currently has 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 seafarers in the western Persian Gulf region. The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) is actively monitoring their safety, coordinating with ship owners, RPSL agencies, and Indian Missions.

These efforts aim to ensure the safe arrival of critical LPG and crude supplies amid geopolitical tensions and disruptions in Middle Eastern shipping routes.

US lifted temporary sanctions on Iranian oil

In addition to Russian oil, the United States has temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil stranded at sea to ease rising global crude prices. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the move will make 140 million barrels of Iranian oil available for global markets.

He clarified that the authorization is short-term and applies only to oil already in transit, without allowing new purchases or production.

(With IANS Inputs)