New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Nearly 3 lakh metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently stranded at the Strait of Hormuz, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said on Tuesday.

During a key briefing, the senior government official said that multiple vessels carrying LPG are unable to move due to the situation in the crucial shipping route.

He explained that six ships are currently stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with each vessel carrying around 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG.

“Six ships are currently stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with each vessel carrying around 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG,” Sinha mentioned.

Together, this accounts for roughly 3 lakh metric tonnes of fuel that is yet to reach its destination.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes for energy supplies, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

Any disruption in this narrow passage has a direct impact on global energy trade and supply chains.

Meanwhile, the second Indian‑flagged LPG tanker 'Nanda Devi' arrived at Vadinar Port in Gujarat during first half on Tuesday.

A day back on Monday, the first Indian-flagged 'Shivalik' docked at Mundra Port in Gujarat.

Officials said that the LPG carrier Shivalik arrived at the Mundra Port, carrying a total cargo of about 46,000 metric tonnes (MT) of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with 20,000 MT set to be unloaded at Mundra and the remaining 26,000 MT to be discharged at Mangaluru.

Both vessels were transporting critical LPG supplies to India following an unusually hazardous passage through the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has been disrupted by the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel.

However, While Nanda Devi and Shivalik have arrived, another ship, 'Jag Laadki', carrying nearly 81,000 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, is en route to India.

--IANS

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