<p>New Delhi: India bound LPG tanker 'Sarv Shakti' on Saturday successfully crossed the critical <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/strait-of-hormuz">Strait of Hormuz</a> and is now heading toward the Gulf of Oman, according to marine tracking data.</p><p>This marks the first significant India-linked energy tanker to navigate the choke point in nearly two weeks.</p>.Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers sail through Strait of Hormuz, 16 still stranded.<p>The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, carrying approximately 45,000 tonnes of LPG, moved into the Gulf of Oman after sailing past Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands on Saturday as prescribed by Tehran.</p><p>The ship has 20 crew members onboard including 18 Indians. It is expected to arrive at Visakhapatnam on May 13, and was chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), though the company is yet to officially confirm it.</p><p>It briefly stopped transmitting its location earlier — a maritime practice known as “going dark” — commonly used to avoid detection in high-risk areas. The development comes amid heightened tensions in the region.</p><p>On April 18, crude oil tanker Desh Garima, was the last Indian linked ship to cross the Strait after Iran briefly announced safe passage, only for the waterway to be effectively closed again shortly after. The same day, Iranian forces fired on two Indian vessels, forcing several India-bound ships to turn back.</p><p>Since the outbreak of conflict on February 28, the Indian government has identified Sarv Shakti and other critical vessels for priority evacuation.</p><p>India has so far managed to secure the passage of eight LPG vessels through the Strait via bilateral negotiations with Tehran. However, transit has been severely disrupted since the April 18 incident.</p><p>Currently, 14 Indian ships remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, along with several foreign vessels bound for India. </p>.What alternatives do Gulf states have to Strait of Hormuz?.<p>The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is a vital global energy chokepoint. Before the West Asia conflict, it handled around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade.</p><p>For India, the stakes are particularly high as nearly 40 per cent of its crude oil, over 50 per cent of LNG, and about 90 per cent of LPG imports originate from West Asia and pass through this route. </p>
<p>New Delhi: India bound LPG tanker 'Sarv Shakti' on Saturday successfully crossed the critical <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/strait-of-hormuz">Strait of Hormuz</a> and is now heading toward the Gulf of Oman, according to marine tracking data.</p><p>This marks the first significant India-linked energy tanker to navigate the choke point in nearly two weeks.</p>.Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers sail through Strait of Hormuz, 16 still stranded.<p>The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, carrying approximately 45,000 tonnes of LPG, moved into the Gulf of Oman after sailing past Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands on Saturday as prescribed by Tehran.</p><p>The ship has 20 crew members onboard including 18 Indians. It is expected to arrive at Visakhapatnam on May 13, and was chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), though the company is yet to officially confirm it.</p><p>It briefly stopped transmitting its location earlier — a maritime practice known as “going dark” — commonly used to avoid detection in high-risk areas. The development comes amid heightened tensions in the region.</p><p>On April 18, crude oil tanker Desh Garima, was the last Indian linked ship to cross the Strait after Iran briefly announced safe passage, only for the waterway to be effectively closed again shortly after. The same day, Iranian forces fired on two Indian vessels, forcing several India-bound ships to turn back.</p><p>Since the outbreak of conflict on February 28, the Indian government has identified Sarv Shakti and other critical vessels for priority evacuation.</p><p>India has so far managed to secure the passage of eight LPG vessels through the Strait via bilateral negotiations with Tehran. However, transit has been severely disrupted since the April 18 incident.</p><p>Currently, 14 Indian ships remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, along with several foreign vessels bound for India. </p>.What alternatives do Gulf states have to Strait of Hormuz?.<p>The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is a vital global energy chokepoint. Before the West Asia conflict, it handled around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade.</p><p>For India, the stakes are particularly high as nearly 40 per cent of its crude oil, over 50 per cent of LNG, and about 90 per cent of LPG imports originate from West Asia and pass through this route. </p>
