- Coordination involved External Affairs and Petroleum Ministries.
India has successfully guided multiple vessels through the Strait of Hormuz despite severe disruptions to maritime traffic caused by the conflict between Iran and the United States. The strategic waterway, through which nearly 20 per cent of global oil supplies pass, has witnessed heightened security concerns, raising fears of a wider energy crisis. Against this backdrop, Indian authorities have managed to ensure the safe movement of several ships carrying critical cargo, highlighting a coordinated effort involving diplomatic channels and multiple government ministries. Officials, however, remain tight-lipped about operational details due to security considerations.
Safe Passage
Shipping Ministry Director Opesh Kumar Sharma said the crude oil tanker Nisos Keros, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz on the night of May 25-26.
The vessel is carrying around 270,000 metric tonnes of crude oil and is expected to reach Visakhapatnam on June 3. Sharma said all crew members on board are foreign nationals.
Asked how ships are being moved through the sensitive corridor, Sharma said specific details could not be disclosed. He confirmed, however, that coordination is being handled through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while decisions on the movement of vessels are taken in consultation with the Petroleum Ministry and the Fertiliser Ministry.
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MEA Coordination
Responding to questions on ship-tracking information available through commercial applications, Sharma said such platforms are helping authorities monitor vessel movements in the region.
He added that all Indian sailors operating in the area remain safe and that there have been no reports of any Indian seafarer being harmed on either Indian-flagged or foreign commercial vessels.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 11 Indian ships remain in the Persian Gulf region, while 14 vessels have already crossed the Strait of Hormuz and returned safely to India.
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Iran Reports Crossings
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said 24 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with Iranian authorities during the past 24 hours. A day earlier, the IRGC had reported that 26 commercial ships had successfully navigated the strategic route.
The developments suggest that, despite heightened tensions and disruptions, maritime traffic continues to move through the Strait under carefully coordinated arrangements, providing some relief to global energy markets and countries dependent on Gulf oil supplies.
