Indian Oil Tanker Safely Navigates Conflict Zone: What’s Next for Maritime Trade?
Safe Passage for Indian Tanker Amid Regional Tensions
New Delhi: An Indian-flagged crude oil tanker has successfully departed from the UAE's Fujairah port, despite an attack on the terminal. It is expected to arrive in India on Tuesday, according to a senior official who highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure the safe transit of other Indian-flagged vessels in the area.
The tanker, named Jag Laadki, is transporting approximately 80,800 tonnes of Murban crude oil from the UAE, with all 22 Indian crew members reported safe, as stated by Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Jag Laadki is the fourth vessel out of 28 Indian ships that had been stranded in the conflict-ridden Strait of Hormuz for the past two weeks.
Currently, there are still 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 seafarers in the western Persian Gulf. Two LPG carriers began their journey on March 13 and successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on March 14.
The first vessel, Shivalik, has reached Mundra Port in Gujarat, where arrangements for expedited paperwork and priority unloading were made. The second vessel, Nanda Devi, is scheduled to arrive at Kandla port on Tuesday morning.
These two ships are carrying around 92,712 tonnes of LPG, which is equivalent to a day's cooking gas requirement for the country. They were among the 24 ships that had been stuck on the western side of the strait since the outbreak of conflict.
In addition to the 24 vessels on the west side, four others were stranded on the eastern side.
One of the four on the east side, the Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Prakash, which was transporting gasoline from Oman to Africa, successfully navigated the war-affected strait on Friday. It is now en route to Tanga in Tanzania, expected to arrive on March 21.
Along with Jag Prakash, Jag Laadki is the second tanker from the eastern coast to reach safety, with its arrival at Mundra scheduled for Tuesday.
Currently, there are 22 Indian ships on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz and two on the western side, with ongoing efforts to secure their safe passage.
Since the activation of the DG Shipping Control Room, over 3,000 calls and 5,400 emails from seafarers, their families, and maritime stakeholders have been addressed, resulting in the safe repatriation of 286 Indian seafarers, including 33 in the last 48 hours.
Major ports are actively monitoring vessel movements and facilitating cargo operations, providing concessions on anchorage, berth hire, storage fees, and temporary transshipment storage at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), which has also offered rebates on reefer container plug-in charges.
The number of export-bound containers at JNPA has decreased from 5,600 to 3,900, with no reported congestion. An inter-ministerial group under DG Shipping continues to coordinate with Customs, ports, and other stakeholders to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers while maintaining the continuity of maritime trade.
On March 14, 2026, while Jag Laadki was loading crude oil at the Fujairah Single Point Mooring, the Fujairah oil terminal was attacked. The vessel departed safely from Fujairah at 10:30 IST on Sunday, carrying about 80,800 tonnes of Murban crude oil bound for India, with all crew members unharmed.
India relies on imports for approximately 88% of its crude oil, 50% of its natural gas, and 60% of its LPG needs. Prior to the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's subsequent retaliation, over half of India's crude imports, around 30% of gas, and 85-90% of LPG imports originated from Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial transit route for Gulf energy supplies. While India has partially mitigated crude supply disruptions by sourcing oil from other countries, including Russia, gas supplies to industrial users have been limited, and LPG availability for commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants has been reduced.