Indian tanker Jag Laadki docks at Mundra Port amid West Asia conflict

Indian-flagged tanker Jag Laadki carrying 80,886 MT of crude arrived at Mundra Port amid the West Asia conflict. The shipment underscores India’s energy security concerns as the Strait of Hormuz blockade disrupts Gulf oil, gas, and LPG supplies.

Ahmedabad: Indian-flagged tanker ‘Jag Laadki’, carrying around 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat on Wednesday amid the West Asia conflict, officials said.

A day earlier, LPG carrier ‘Nanda Devi’ arrived at Vadinar port in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, another vessel – ‘Shivalik’ – carrying LPG docked at Mundra Port.

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Adani Ports, which operates Mundra Port, said in a statement that the crude oil carried by Jag Laadki was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and loaded at Fujairah Port there.

“Measuring 274.19 metres in length overall and 50.04 metres in beam, the tanker boasts a deadweight tonnage of approximately 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes,” it said.

The tanker’s arrival at the Mundra Port underscores the facility’s critical role in handling substantial crude imports, it said.

“This delivery supports major refinery relies on such shipments to maintain operations and bolster India’s energy security during supply disruptions in the region,” Adani Ports added.

The port provided the safe berthing of the vessel and maritime coordination in safeguarding vital energy lifelines of India, it said.

Fujairah Port in UAE faced drone and missile attacks during the ongoing Israel-US and Iran war.

India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas and 60 per cent of LPG needs. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran’s retaliation, more than half of India’s crude imports, about 30 per cent of gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG imports came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The conflict has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Gulf energy supplies. While India has partly offset crude supply disruptions by sourcing oil from countries including Russia, gas supplies have been curtailed to industrial users and LPG availability to commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants has been reduced.