West Asia conflict: Will ships move to India faster now that the Strait of Hormuz is open?

Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers are stuck due to disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane in the Persian Gulf. The vessels are navigating through heightened regional tensions that have affected maritime traffic in the area.

It, however, is likely that the transit will take much less time now, as US President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight.” 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.”

Meanwhile, Indian officials confirmed that the LPG tanker Green Sanvi, carrying 46,650 tonnes of LPG, is scheduled to reach an Indian port soon, while Green Asha, with 15,500 tonnes of cargo, is expected to arrive on April 9. Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, provided these details at a news briefing.

“Indian maritime operations remain safe and uninterrupted amid the West Asia crisis. 16 Indian-flagged vessels with 433 seafarers are in the region; two LPG carriers, Green Sanvi and Green Asha, safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz,” Mangal said.

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With these arrivals, eight Indian-flagged LPG tankers have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz since it was effectively closed following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation.

Among the vessels still stranded in the Persian Gulf, there is one loaded liquefied natural gas carrier, two LPG tankers (one loaded and one empty), six crude carriers (five loaded, one empty), three container ships, one dredger, one chemical cargo ship, and two bulk carriers, Mangal added.

When asked about reports of Iran charging fees for ships crossing the strait, Mangal stated, “We have no information of such payments.”

India relies on imports from Gulf nations for about 60 per cent of its cooking gas needs. The arrivals of these tankers are expected to ease the severe LPG shortage the country faces. Last year, India consumed 33.15 million tonnes of LPG, with imports making up around 60 per cent of demand, and approximately 90 per cent of these imports came from West Asia.

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Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that the country has taken a “responsible approach” by implementing precautionary measures to reduce risks to ships and seafarers in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Sea of Oman.

The ministry stated, “Accordingly, and as repeatedly emphasised, the Strait of Hormuz is not closed, and maritime traffic through it has not been suspended. Navigation in the Strait continues, subject to compliance with the aforementioned necessary measures and considerations arising from the wartime situation.” It added that “non-hostile vessels” may transit the waterway after coordinating with Iranian authorities.